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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23845231">Button Kids</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitelightning9999/pseuds/whitelightning9999'>whitelightning9999</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Coraline (2009), Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012), Psychonauts (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Child Neglect, Eye Horror, Family, Fluff, Gen, Mystery Kids, Thriller, kids have different names</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:13:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23845231</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitelightning9999/pseuds/whitelightning9999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What would happen if the Other Mother had been stronger? If she had taken more kids than just the three? If she had convinced Coraline to stay?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Special was Never Good</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>Coraline was the newest to the group. He didn’t know how she did it but somehow, she managed to keep one of her eyes. That alone made her special. Special was never good.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He thought that the twins came before Coraline but maybe it was Whisper. No, it must have been the twins since he remembered seeing Whisper’s shadow when he first arrived. Whisper was weird that’s for sure. Always hiding from their Mother and talking to himself. Sometimes he could hear the other boy cry at night, but after a few months he learned it was odd to not cry.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The twins were different. The female one was the first to come. From what he had gathered, she used to be a cheerful and outgoing girl, but she had long since shattered. Now she stayed huddled up in her decaying sweater, hiding her face from everyone, never moving.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Her brother was the definition of over-protective. If Coraline would try to talk to the girl, her brother would start throwing punches. It didn’t take long for most to realize that the female twin was off limits but Coraline never got the hint. Yet another thing that made her special.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Coraline and the male twin would fight; Whisper would hide; and the female twin would never respond. Why did he feel like he was forgetting someone?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>
      <strong>Crash</strong>
    </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Oh yes. Fire. She had been here longer than anyone. When he first came here she had shared some of her story with him. Something about a dead mother and a father who stopped caring if he remembered correctly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He supposed she liked him, since they were both a kind of freak. How they were freaks he didn’t remember. He just remembered being surrounded by lots of noise and people shouting. Most were calling him a freak of nature. Then there were the eyes. The eyes would haunt him in his sleep, always so full of disappointment and anger.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was after that, that Mother found them. She had promised to love them forever. To be their new mother. Right before she shoved them in a cramped room and forgot about them.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Cramped might be too strong a word. There were a few places where one could sit down and stretch out their legs, even few spots where you wouldn’t block the path doing it. And it was cool how there was stuff from different eras. TVs, books, bicycles, and some boxes prevented the room from feeling too open, which maybe was a good thing? He didn’t know anymore, maybe this was how a kid’s room was supposed to look.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The gray coloring also made him feel at peace. He remembered one time when-</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hello earth to Goggles, please respond.” Coraline was shaking him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He wasn’t sure when he started but it was almost like his way of coping. He would just stop responding to the world. Guess it made him more approachable then the rest of the kids.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m fine” He mumbled, his train of thoughts halted.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re bleeding” Coraline stated back. She reached forward and brushed her hand against his cheek. “Hang on, I think I might have some Band-Aids in my bag.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“There we go, good as new” She smiled at him in false enthusiasm.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Goggles I know I’ve asked this before but I need your help. Please. If just one kid stands up to her then maybe the others will too.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She had tried this tactic before. Not just with him, though he might have been the only one who had stayed for the full speech.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What about seeing your families again?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He refused to say anything to that. Just glared in her direction.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Maybe if we find everyone’s eyes we can remove the buttons. You don’t know unless you try Goggles.” Coraline was persistent he’d give her that.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The junk groaned. The floorboards creaked. Underneath him he could feel the dark energy swirling. Pushing and pulling the house apart. A part of him, more primal than anything, told him to run. Told him to get away but the rest of him just wanted to sit there.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>From the corner of his eye he could see the male twin grabbing his sister. Whisper had found a new hiding spot near the two, taking advantage of one of the few open areas, bracing himself. Fire sounded close by, he could hear her growling, trying to light the room on fire. He supposed he should be grateful she never succeeded. With all the piles of junk, they were probably in the middle of a fire hazard.  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Eventually, the magic settled. This was normal. He could already see the male twin releasing his sister. Everybody was cooling down. Well everybody but-</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What the heck was that!” Coraline shrieked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Mother found a new friend” He supposed he should at least tell her what was going on. No one else was going to speak up after all. “Wonder if they’re going to join us or just be eaten on the spot”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I hope they get eaten!” The male twin yelled across the room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Wait… they? As in another kid!” Coraline smiled. Not a fake smile but a real smile. He was surprised those even existed now days.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Mother will just do the whole shebang; you know like what happened with you.” He pointed to her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He could practically hear the gears in the older girl’s head turning. Soon she would have some new half-baked scheme on how they could all escape together and then back out into the real world. If he had real eyes instead of his buttons he would have been rolling them. Not that he really cared.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Goggles” Ah here it comes. “What would you say if you and I went to go grab some bread?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He blinked, or at least he thinks he did.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Bread?” Even the name made him salivate.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He never thought about how it worked. He knew their mother would somehow keep them from getting hungry. It seemed like a great idea since all of them were stuck in a storage room and their mother didn’t care about them after sewing in their buttons. Plus, if they did get hungry, well, he was almost certain that the male twin would have fed them all to his sister. Or maybe Fire would have started a nice little barbecue for herself.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes. Remember how the Other Mother would always make that huge feast every night?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He thought back. Yes, he could vaguely recall something like that.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I bet while the Other Mother is entertaining, you and I could go out of the room and grab some of the feast.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He froze. “Go out of the room? But But-“</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I know Goggles, but I’ll be right next to you.” Coraline encouraged.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He looked down. On one hand, they could disappoint Mother. Oh, how he hated to disappoint Mother. People who disappointed Mother didn’t live very long. Yet on the other hand, BREAD.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Coraline smiled when she felt the boy grab her hand. Out of all of them Goggles had seemed the less broken. Guess she made the right choice with him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>From what she could tell none of the other children remembered their names. Some of them had nicknames from either past children (who were long since dead) or just had no names, like the two twins.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Fire and Whisper had gotten their nicknames from the stuff they could do. Whisper would often wander to vacant parts of the room and just start whispering. Fire, well let’s just say she would sometimes have to leave the younger girl alone when things started to get a little hot.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Goggles was the name she had given him when they had first met. He had looked so odd dressed in pajamas with goggles hanging from his neck. When he didn’t object, the name just kind of stuck. From what she could tell Fire was the only other kid to use it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She hated how the Other Mother would treat all of them. Sure, it seemed nice at first, all the promises of a better life but then she would show her true nature. Coraline was ashamed to say it but she had let the Other Mother get to her. It was only because of the cat that the spell was not complete.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Afterwards Coraline remembered seeing the true horrifying form of the Other Mother. From there, she had run to the tiny door, inhuman shrieks following her. Somehow, she and the cat had managed to escape the unnatural world, crawling through the fabric tunnel to her freedom. But the Other Mother was crafty, tricking Coraline into one final trap.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>"Have fun in the other world my daughter. Don’t worry about me. I’ll have plenty of company with my other children.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>She froze. “Other children?” </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Yes, the other children. The ones whose souls I haven’t tasted yet.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>The cat ran his tail under her nose. “Don’t let her trick you. Your almost there.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“How do I know you’re not lying” She turned to look at the spider-like woman. </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>A crooked smile appeared on the Other Mothers lips. From behind her back she pulled out five dolls. </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Would you like to meet them my daughter? I’m sure they would love the company” </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>She bit her lip. The Other Mother had lied to her before. </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Yeah, I think I would.” She couldn’t leave those kids here to die. </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Excellent.” </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Here it is” She said looking at the mirror. “Now let’s see if it works.” She pressed her hand against the reflective surface, only to see the glass ripple.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Is it supposed to do that?” Goggles asked behind her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She grinned and grabbed his arm.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yep!” she cried as she pulled him through.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The mirror rippled before throwing out two bodies into the hall. A large bang echoed through the newly designed house.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Standing up she brushed the imaginary dust from her pajamas, before turning to the younger boy behind her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Goggles just looked up at her, his dark green button eyes seemed to plead the question ‘what now’.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She blinked. She hadn’t notice it but their jail cell had been void of any color. Now that they were outside she had found that she missed what the room had been lacking. Though the unlit hall way didn’t show much in the way of color.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Come on. We don’t know how much time we have until she’s done with her guest” She said proceeding through the hallway. She felt the boy close behind her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The house’s layout had definitely changed. No longer was it the mirror image of her own house. Instead it felt almost older. A few end tables they passed had doilies covering them. She thought she saw a few areas where the house had been fixed up, but she didn’t dwell on it. Instead, Coraline tried to focus on moving toward the light, and hopefully the dining area.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As they navigated yet another corner, she reached to cover Goggles’ mouth. Cringing as he let out a small gasping noise.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>In front of the two, was a doorway leading to the brightly lit dining room. The Other Mother’s shadow, cast on the adjacent wall, stood frozen with her mouth open.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Everything ok?” a familiar voice asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Of course it is! I just remembered your other father wanted to see you in his workshop. Would you be a dear and see if he needs any help?” Her gut turned upon hearing the fake voice.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Uh… Sure I guess I could do that… but…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“But what?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well I’ve always wanted to build a family project. I even made my own design, see!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“… I really should clean up dinner.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Please go’ She thought. ‘I just need a little free time’. She could feel Goggles trembling beneath her hands.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Please! It would mean the world to me”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She heard the Other Mother sigh. “Well alright I guess we can see if your other father’s busy”.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As the shadow moved away, she let go of the other kid’s mouth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay Goggles here’s the plan. We go in there and- “.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“G- Get the bread right?” He finished her statement.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She nodded as she looked around the door. Both the Other Mother and the new kid were gone.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“And maybe a bit extra if we can” She added stepping into the room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Quickly, she grabbed as much finger food as she could, stuffing it inside her bag. From the corner of her eye she could see Goggles do the same with a dishtowel.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I think we have enough Goggles lets go before-“</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A low pitched scratching sound echoed around the room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Hush, my dolls, go to sleep, </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Evening shadows softly creep;”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Coraline beckoned Goggles to her.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Stars a-twinkling in the skies,</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Dolls, too, should close their eyes.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Other Mother’s head appeared around the door frame.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“All the toys are put away, </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Ready for another day;” </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Her body shifted with each step the woman took.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“Waiting for the morning light, </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Dolls, too, should say Goodnight.”</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The Other Mother lunged for the two.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. What is the Sun?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Coraline held back a scream when the Other Mother’s fingers grabbed at her skin. Icy fingers wrapped around her arm.</p><p>“Hello Coraline” The young girl felt her blood freeze.</p><p>“It’s so nice to see you again and I see you brought a friend” The Other Mother spoke, twisting her head away.</p><p>Coraline followed the Other Mother’s sight to Goggles. The boy was clinging to the ceiling lamp, unharmed.</p><p>A low chuckle came from the child eating monster. “I wonder… Do you think he’s ready for dinner?”</p><p>Coraline gripped the bag strap.</p><p>“It has been awhile since my last meal.” The Other Mother single handedly reached for the boy.</p><p>Goggles shrunk.</p><p>Coraline gritted her teeth.</p><p>“Leave Him Alone!” She yelled swinging her food filled bag at the Other Mother.</p><p>A hand made of needles stopped the attack.</p><p>“Oh Coraline. I thought you would learn to love me” The Other Mother looked back. “I just want to be your mother after all.” She reached her hand under the girl’s neck.</p><p>“Don’t you want to be a family with me?”</p><p>Coraline shut her eye. The last time the Other Mother was this close-</p><p>‘Don’t think about that!’ she chilled herself. Her button had started to throb at the memory of the needle going in and out.</p><p>“We just need to finish the ritual” The Other Mother hummed, releasing the girl’s arm.</p><p>The Other Mother smiled. She was finally going to rid herself of the annoying girl. She knew that Coraline had been trying to rile the kids up. Oh, how she knew, but the girl didn’t seem to get that the kids’ souls where hers. She just needed to…</p><p>She blinked. She knew she had a button inside the drawer. She had thrown it in there when Coraline had escaped from the ritual. So where was…</p><p>The Other Mother turned to see Goggles dart around the corner.</p><p>“Get Back Here!” She yelled, chasing after the boy.</p><p>Coraline dropped to the floor, shaking. Only a few more seconds and I would have been. She held her hand over her eye.</p><p>“Coraline!” Goggles ran back into the room. The button still in his hand. “Come on we need to go!”</p><p>The boy pulled her up. “I don’t know how much time we have before-”</p><p>A scream echoed through the house, kicking the two pre-teens into action.</p><p>They took turns in the lead as they sprinted down the hall. Both trying to remember the way to the portal-mirror.</p><p>Coraline found it first, leaving Goggle skidding past her.</p><p>“Come on let’s go!” She yelled at him.</p><p>“Coraline! Wait!”</p><p>She continued to run for the mirror.</p><p>Just a few more steps and we’ll be home free! She thought just as a shadow fell over her.</p><p>The Other Mother fell from above, trapping Coraline underneath her needle legs.</p><p>“Stupid Little Girl!” The Other Mother reached for her.</p><p>A mass of orange collided with the monster, throwing her into the wall.</p><p>“Go Go Go!” Goggles pushed her up. They could hear the sound of metal moving beside them.</p><p>The two of them dove through the mirror, smacking against the boxes on the other side.</p><p>“he. he, Ha ha!” Goggle laughed as he righted himself. “We- We actually did it!”</p><p>The boy walked to the mirror. “We’re not dead!”</p><p>He turned around, beaming at the blue haired girl. “I can’t believe it”</p><p>Coraline smiled. Although she wished it had gone a little smoother she had succeeded in her mission. Goggles would prove a helpful ally when they fought the Other Mother.</p><p>“Yeah we did!” Coraline replied, reaching for the other boy.</p><p>A hand shot out, grabbing Goggles’ leg. The boy yelled as the appendage pulled him backwards, making him tumble to the ground.</p><p>“Coraline!” Goggles yelled. He stretched out his hand to her.</p><p>She grabbed it, digging her boots into the floor, though it did little good.</p><p>Another hand appeared, sealing the small boy’s doom. As he felt the needles dig into his other leg, he let go of the girl’s hand.</p><p>“Goggles no!”</p><p>Take care of the others Coraline. He thought.</p><p>Fire and screams erupted behind him. The pain in his legs disappeared.</p><p>“Come back here you buzzard!” Combat boots thudded next to him. “I’m not done with your spidery face yet!”</p><hr/><p>Fire was ticked. First another stupid kid had gotten caught in the Other Mother’s trap. Second, little miss one button just had to go through the mirror and she couldn’t just go alone. Oh No. She had to take Goggles with her. Finally, after hearing numerous screams coming through the mirror the two idiots come tumbling out, only to be grabbed by the Other Mother.</p><p>She took a deep breath ignoring the footsteps behind her.  </p><p>“Uh, thanks Fire” the one button girl started.</p><p>Screw anger management! Fire thought before turning and psi-punching the other girl in the face.</p><p>“What do you think that just because I helped Goggles means that I’m suddenly on your little friendship train!” She yelled.</p><p>“You think that just a little bit of encouragement and we can all be buddy-buddy. Well, wake up stupid! You’re not in the real world anymore you’re in her world and if you don’t shape up your going to get everyone killed! In fact, you almost did!” Fire pointed to Goggles, who was still sitting on the floor.</p><p>“At least I’m trying to help” One button shouted back.</p><p>“You want to help! Oh, I’ll show you how to help.” She put her fingers on her temple.</p><p>Goggles jumped in front of the girl.</p><p>“Why are you defending her?” Fire growled.</p><p>“…”</p><p>“You know what fine, if you want to get yourself killed then go ahead.” Fire said, storming off to a corner.</p><p>It didn’t take her long to find a new place crammed between a rusted bicycle and a cracked TV. From the spot, she could vaguely hear the two talking. Fire closed her eyes trying to tune them out.</p><p>“You’re angry” A voice whispered.</p><p>Fire glanced to the top of the TV were Whisper sat.</p><p>“Do you want to talk?” Whisper continued. The dark circles around his eyes had gotten worse.</p><p>Must be having nightmares again.</p><p>“Are you talking to me?” She asked looking at the junk in front of her.</p><p>He hummed back. “More like both of you? Aggie’s here too.” A pause. “She says she’s worried about you.”</p><p>Fire sighed. When Whisper first came to the house he was mostly normal… or really just not crazy. But over time with more and more people dying he steadily got worse. Now the only living people, according to him, were himself and her.</p><p>She frowned, remembering the boy running up to her after … that event, begging her to stop the voices. The only thing she could do was stop the Other Mother from dragging them out.</p><p>“Fire?”</p><p>“Why do they want to leave anyways? It’s not like our families are looking for us.”</p><p>“… Do you miss the sun?”</p><p>“What the fudge does that have to do with anything?”</p><p>“I think I remember what it looks like. It lived in the sky, right? Surrounded by other little glowy dots”</p><p>“… Whisper”</p><p>“It would chase the darkness away. Keep the bad things from coming.”</p><p>“Whisper!”</p><p>The boy stopped. Staring at the spot next to her.</p><p>“Whisper… why do you care so much about this sun thing?” Fire tried.</p><p>“… so you don’t remember it.” Whisper said before disappearing behind the TV.</p><hr/><p>“Hey guys” Coraline said holding out one of the stolen rolls. “How are you doing today”</p><p>The male twin glared. Behind him was his sister, curled up in her sweater.</p><p>“I have some bread. Would you like some?” she tried her best to put on a real looking smile.</p><p>No reaction.</p><p>“I can leave it here if you want?”</p><p>The boy stole a glance behind him.</p><p>“Is your sister ok?”</p><p>That had been the wrong thing to say. The boy brought up his fists readying for a fight.</p><p>“ok, ok, I’ll just leave this here. Lots of other bread to give out you know”</p><p>He waited for her to leave before grabbing the roll.</p><p>Scooting closer to his sister, he brought the roll close.</p><p>“Hey sis. I have some bread for you” he tried. “it’s still a bit warm, and I think it may be covered in honey.”</p><p>His smile fell. “Please Sis. I know that sweater town is great and all but…”</p><p>“I really want my sister.” He felt tears gathering in his eyes.</p><p>Stubbornly, he wiped away the tears. “I’ll… I’ll leave the bread here, just in case ok.”</p><p>The boy navigated around the piles of junk. On his way, he past Coraline and Whisper. Not that that was very surprising.</p><p>Coraline just didn’t seem to get it. She had come down here to save them but his sister didn’t want to be saved. He should know. He had been trying to take her out of sweater town, to speak to him, to even acknowledge his presents.</p><p>But why should she. He thought, staring at the boy in front of him. After all you’re the reason why she’s here.</p><p>He clenched his fist. If you hadn’t been so selfish, she wouldn’t be in so much pain.</p><p>Why should she forgive you? Why should she talk to you when all you have ever done is take?   </p><p>The twin threw a punch at the other boy. To his shock, his fist went straight through the mirror.</p><p>Yelping, he pulled his fist back.</p><p>That’s right, Mother has a guest over. He thought staring at the mirror in front of him.</p><p>He bit his lip. They could escape now, but his sister… There’s no way she would leave.</p><p>He fell against some boxes, curling up. There is no way, we’re all going to die here and it’s all my fault.</p><p>This time he did nothing to stop the tears.</p><hr/><p>Whisper did not like his name. It reminded him of how much of a freak he was. How badly things could go wrong.</p><p>He choked down tears as he tried to block the thoughts from that night. How they walked out of the room willingly. How their screams flooded the imaginary house. How he and Fire had only lived due to knowing the true nature of the Beldam. How all the other boys and girls would still come to him, begging him to find their eyes. How most of the ghosts would blame him.</p><p>He frowned when he heard footsteps approach.</p><p>Those don’t sound like Aggie.</p><p>Aggie was the ghost of a little settler girl. Unlike the other ghost’s, she seemed to care what he thought. Sticking close to him whenever she was able. Defending him against the more violent ghosts.</p><p>The footsteps stopped next to him.</p><p>“Hey Whisper.” The voice of a girl said.</p><p>Definitely not Aggie.</p><p>He didn’t want to talk back. He had already tried to calm another ghost today and it had ended badly.</p><p>“Whisper?” He recognized that the voice was coming above him.</p><p>His fingers curled around the wound he had gotten earlier.</p><p>“Whisper are you okay?” the other voice spoke again, before sighing. “I’m not going away until you talk to me”</p><p>The spiky haired boy hesitated before looking at the specter.</p><p>“There you go” The ghost girl smiled at him.</p><p>Whisper swallowed dryly. It was one of the regular ghost of the room. One of the ones that had found the room after they were killed.</p><p>“Coraline?” He guessed. Ghosts liked it when he used their name.</p><p>She smiled at him before digging around in her pocket.</p><p>“Goggles and me. We were able to get some food. I saved you some.” She produced at wrapped up roll from her pocket.</p><p>Whisper looked at the food being held out to him. Ghosts would sometimes try to act nice, but when he got to close they would always attack him. Aggie was the only one he could trust. The food was probably fake anyways.</p><p>“I don’t want it” He tried to keep his voice as steady as possible.</p><p>Coraline frowned.</p><p>He looked away. “Sorry”</p><p>He ran his fingers over his wound. It wasn’t anything too major. He had been trying to convince the ghost from earlier to move on but, like always, he pushed too far. It really was a stupid question anyways. Who cared what the sun was?</p><p>He curled up tighter. Ghost never like being reminded what the outside world was like. Only a few ghosts were button-less and they never wanted to leave.</p><p>Fingers wrapped around his arm, pulling him closer to the dead girl. Instincts made him struggle for a moment before he went still.</p><p>“Whisper… what happened here?” Coraline asked, faking concern.</p><p>“N-nothing” Not looking her in the eye.</p><p>“Was it the male twin? Or Fire?”</p><p>“N- No. I just fe- fell.” He tried.</p><p>Coraline glared with her remaining eye. “Don’t lie to me Whisper. Who did this?”</p><p>He refused to say anything.</p><p>After a moment, she sighed. With her thumb, she gently touched the wound. Her fingers were oddly warm for a ghost. “This will need to be treated. Hang on”</p><p>Whisper watched Coraline get up and move away. In some ways, she reminded him of Fire.</p><p>He smiled thinking back to when Fire had learned the other ghost were attacking him. For days, she had threatened the room. Yelling out insults at the air. It was her who made him feel human, even if she could do nothing against the attacks.</p><p>He looked over at the roll. It was still sitting where Coraline had left it. He frowned. Ghost like Coraline were the most dangerous. They thought themselves as alive instead of dead. Never floating like regular ghosts.</p><p>In a daze, he watched the roll’s glaze slowly drip down. His mouth watered.</p><hr/><p>Coraline sighed as she pulled the med kit from underneath a pile of junk.</p><p>I wonder who hurt Whisper. I know the male twin gets super defensive around his sister but I don’t think Whisper would get into a fight with him. Whisper always seemed like a pacifist.</p><p>Fire might have, but for all her spitting she doesn’t seem like the type to hurt other kids.</p><p>Goggles is too nice to hurt someone.</p><p>And that just leaves the Female twin, but I’ve never seen her move.</p><p>So, who could have done it? Coraline thought tapping her lips.</p><p>She looked down at the first aid kit. The box looked like it had seen better times. Little flecks of dried blood cover the green case. On the front was a big red cross letting her know it was a first aid kit.</p><p>Let’s hope it still has the right supplies.</p><p>“Is that a first aid kit?”</p><p>Coraline jumped about a foot in the air. Spinning around, she saw Goggles staring at her with a crumb covered face.</p><p>“Yeah… yeah it is” She responded, trying to keep her heart from breaking out of her chest.</p><p>“Oh” He rubbed his arm. “Did you get hurt before?”</p><p>“No, it’s for Whisper.” She paused remembering their fight with the Other Mother. How that pretender had grabbed the boy’s leg.</p><p>Guiltily she asked, “how’s your leg?”</p><p>“Just some bruises.” Goggles said quickly.</p><p>“Let me see.”</p><p>“I’m fine.” He held up his hands.</p><p>“Then you should have no problem letting me see.”</p><p>After sitting Goggles down on some boxes, she pushed up his pants leg. She grimaced at the puncture wounds.</p><p>Coraline sighed. Fire was right, Goggles could have died today. She started disinfecting the wound.</p><p>‘If I’m going to get everyone out of here I can’t be brash.’ She thought to herself.</p><p>“Can you really get all of us out of here?” Goggles asked.</p><p>She paused, her hand held over the gauze.</p><p>“No duh” She finally replied, as she started to wrap his leg. “As long as we stick together the Other Mother won’t know what hit her.”</p><p>“Coraline?” Whisper spoke softly behind her just as she finished.</p><p>She turned around, barely avoiding jumping this time. “Geeze, what is it with you two and sneaking around?”</p><p>Whisper chose not to respond. Instead looking cautiously behind her at Goggles. “I finished the bread.”</p><p>“Oh? Was it any good? I have more here if you want.” She smiled softly at him.</p><p>“No, I’m good.” He looked down. “I do have a question though.”</p><p>“Ask away” Goggles said behind her.</p><p>“N- never mind it’s a stupid question” Whisper turned to leave.</p><p>“Hey!” Coraline yelled grabbing his uninjured arm. She roughly swallowed at the look of fear he gave her. “There are no stupid questions, ok?”</p><p>She tugged him closer, almost pulling the skinny boy into her lap. Next to her Goggles held out the first aid kit.</p><p>The three of them sat silently as she worked on his arm.</p><p>“Cor- Coraline?” Whisper broke the silence. “Wh- what is the sun?”</p><p>She paused. “The sun is a big glowing light that hangs in the sky during the day. It fills you with warmth and creates shadows underneath everything. People use the sun’s light to grow things like flowers. And when the sun sets, it lights up the sky in a bright array of colors. From red, to purple, and sometimes even green.” She patted his newly bandaged arm.</p><p>Whisper turned and looked at her. “Do you think I could see it?”</p><p>Looking back on that moment, she would always think it was odd, how a boy with buttons for eyes, could stare at her with such a hopeful expression.</p><p>However, for now all she could do was pull the boy into a hug. “I’ll make sure you see it.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The New Kid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Will you two be okay on your own?” Coraline asked, looking at her two shadows.</p><p>Whisper hummed, rubbing his arm.</p><p>“We’ll be fine, Coraline.” Goggles smiled tiredly. “You just do what you got to do.”</p><p>“If you’re sure. I’ll be back soon ok.”</p><p>The two boys watched as the preteen disappeared through the mirror.</p><p>“She’ll be back, right?”</p><p>Goggles paused, looking at Whisper. <em>This is the first time I’ve heard him speak to me. At least directly.</em></p><p>“She’s Coraline. Of course she’ll be back.” He tried not to feel dejected when Whisper looked away.</p><p>“H- hey, do you maybe want to, build a fort or something?” Goggles tried. “We could use it as our base. Coraline might like it.”</p><p>Whisper shrugged.</p><p>Goggles took that as a yes. “Well come on then” He said leading the way into the junk pile.</p><p>“We should try to keep a bit of distance between the twins, don’t want the male twin picking a fight right?”</p><p>Another hum.</p><p>“I’m not sure where Fire lives but maybe we should keep away from her too. Her and Coraline are always fighting.”</p><p>“We should stay away from the walls. Other Mother can grab us if we’re too close.”</p><p>“She can do that?”</p><p>Whispered ignored him.</p><p>Goggles bit his lip. <em>Am I doing this right? I mean talking with Coraline is easy but… </em></p><p>The younger boy tried to recall his earlier life. He was not sure but there seemed to be a lack of other kids. <em>Was it because I’m a freak?</em></p><p>He hugged himself as he walked, unconsciously falling in step behind Whisper.</p><p>
  <em>Is that why Mother took me in? Was I abandoned? Coraline wants us to go back to the real world, right? Am I even allowed to go back? Oh, man does Coraline even know that she’s friends with a freak? </em>
</p><p>He broke out of his thoughts when he felt a minor shock. Whisper was looking straight at him.</p><p>“Uh” Goggles started. “Sorry, did you say something.” <em>Way to be rude.</em></p><p>“Is- is this a good spot?” Whisper gestured to the open area behind him.</p><p>The space was about the size of a small closet. It was one of the bigger spaces in the cramped room, the kind where TWO kids could have their legs out and not block the path. A dust covered mirror was strategically placed so they could see the mirror portal.</p><p>“The locations good.” Goggles said. “but maybe we should try to make it a little bigger.”</p><p>Whisper hummed again. “There are three of us” he spoke after a little while.</p><p>Goggles grinned, taking Whisper’s words as a yes. Bending down, he grabbed a stack of books.</p><p><em>True Psychic Tales? </em>He thought reading the top book. <em>Looks stupid. </em>None the less, the boy placed it in the center of the space, guaranteeing he could find it later.</p><p>The two of them worked for a while. Both took turns climbing on the higher walls and adding items from the smaller stacks. Goggles was the best at it. Twisting his body in ways that Whisper never could.</p><p>“I think that should be enough.” Goggles said, jumping down from the stack.</p><p>Whisper nodded.</p><p>“I mean look at this space. We could have five people lay down next to each other. Five Whisper!” Goggles shouted gleefully.</p><p>“It is pretty cool.” Whisper rubbed his arm.</p><p>“And pretty stupid” A female voice spat.</p><p>Goggles looked up at one of the smaller stacks surrounding their fort.</p><p>“I mean. What are you trying to do? Invite the Other Mother to play tea.” Fire continued.</p><p>“No we just-“ Goggles tried.</p><p>“Just were following Coraline’s orders, right?” Fire glared down. “I thought you were better than that.”</p><p>“She didn’t order us to do anything Fire.” Whisper replied in a loud voice.</p><p>“Oh, so she didn’t wrap the two of you up in some hair brain scheme. Convincing you that the real world is better. That the real world has people who care and objects filled with wonder and happiness?” Fire paused. “Do you really expect me to believe that Whisper.”</p><p>The air grew thick with tension. The way Fire described Coraline was like what the Other Mother did to kids.  </p><p>“Yes.” Whisper’s voice stayed strong. His eyes meeting Fire’s.</p><p>Fire grimaced. “Fine, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that she slipped off her perch, disappearing over the wall.</p><p>Goggles looked at the floor. Fire’s words had filled his head with doubt.</p><p>“You said she’d come back”</p><p>Goggles looked up at Whisper.</p><p>“Coraline, you said she be back.” Whisper tried again.</p><p>“Well yeah but-“</p><p>“Then she’ll be back.” Whisper’s tone left no room for arguments.</p><p>Goggles gave him a small smile. “Yeah.” He looked around the space. “You know what this needs? A mattress. With all the stuff in this room there has to be a mattress”</p><p>Whisper smiled. “I bet I can find one first.”</p><p>“ReadySetGO” Goggles fast talked, running through the gaps of stuff.</p><p>Behind him, he heard Whisper’s call of “No fair”.</p><hr/><p>Sighing, she took a step.</p><p>Creak!</p><p>Coraline froze, listening to the house.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>The blue haired girl let out a sigh of relief. Cautiously, she shifted her wait once more. Grinding her teeth when the board squeaked.</p><p><em>Ok, second step. </em>She looked up. <em>And only a billion more to go. </em></p><p>Coraline shook her head. <em>No, I need to do this. </em>She thought about Goggles and Whisper. <em>I Have to do this! </em></p><p>Bracing herself she took another step. <em>Just does it have to be so loud! </em></p><p>She had been exploring through the house for a while. Peeking into every room, hoping to find a way to the real world. So far, she had come across twelve dusty rooms, white sheets covering the abandoned furniture. Most of the regularly used rooms, like the kitchen, where near the front of the house.</p><p>There wasn’t much to check now. The first floor having been mostly checked.</p><p>She shifted her weight, putting more pressure on the higher step. She was so close now. Just a few more steps and she would be to her goal.</p><p>Coraline glanced behind her. So far, she had managed to avoid the Other Mother and her puppets. She had been lucky, should she continue pushing her luck?</p><p>Taking a deep breath, she gathered her nerve before lunging forward.</p><p>The rubber scrapped the top step. Her toes just grazing the wood. A feeling a glee. She had made it to the top.</p><p>Then the step broke and gravity took over.</p><hr/><p>Goggles sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Underneath him, the soft mattress pressed against his back. All they could do was wait for Coraline now.</p><p>He turned on his side, hoping to talk to Whisper about the really cool sun thing.</p><p>Goggles frowned. He hadn’t heard the boy get up.</p><p><em>Did… did I cause him to leave? </em>The boy bit his lip, sitting up. <em>Did… did he try to tell me he was going? Did I just ignore him? </em></p><p>
  <em>Oh man, Whisper must be upset now. I didn’t mean to ignore him. I- I just… No quit making excuses. This is my fault. I’m a terrible person and this is all my fault. I never learn. All I am is a freak. A monster. And monsters only push people away. Monsters only hurt people. </em>
</p><p>Goggles curled in on himself. His thoughts going around in a circle of self-hatred and doubt. Thinking of things that he hadn’t dwelled on since Coraline arrived.</p><p>A figure moved out of the corner of his eye, snapping him out of his thoughts.</p><p>“Fire?”</p><p>The girl was grabbing a small booklet off the floor, unbothered by the boy.</p><p>“Fire?” He reached out, snagging a corner of the book.</p><p>The girl glared at him. “That’s mine” She said, defensively.</p><p>Goggles stared at the book. It was the one he had put aside later for unknown reasons.</p><p>“Let go of it.” Fire snarled.</p><p>He met her button eyes. “I was the one who found it”</p><p>“That doesn’t make it yours” Fire raised her voice. “This is mine from the other world!”</p><p>Goggles loosened his grip, ashamed. Things from the other world were precious even if they came from a place of sorrow and hatred.</p><p>“But if you want I’ll let you read it” she huffed, holding out the book.</p><p>“We- We could read it together.” He asked hopefully.</p><p>She kept glaring but sat next to him, spreading out the booklet so they both could read.</p><p>The two sat in silence, carefully turning the pages of what turned out to be a very colorful, pictured filled book. In the end it was Goggles who spoke up.</p><p>“Agent Cruller is super cool. Makes you wish they were real.”</p><p>“They are real.” Fire replied, elaborating when she saw Goggle’s look. “Well maybe not real but the stuff they can do is.”</p><p>Goggles looked down at the page of Cruller firing a Psi Blast at the villain. “How do you know? This is in a book and all books are fake. There’s no way the American Civil War happened after all.”</p><p>Fire looked sadly at him. “It’s real because we can both do that stuff. I can light things on fire and you can do that hand thing. We’re special.”</p><p>“You mean freaks” He said hatefully.</p><p>“No, special. We can do things to protect others.”</p><p>“How?” He asked in a pleading tone. “I’m a monster and a freak. I have only hurt others with the curse of this- this thing.” His hands sparked orange.</p><p>Fire watched sadly, taking his hands. “I used to think like that. Then the Beldam came into the room”</p><p>He froze. “Mother did what?”</p><p>“She came into the room, Goggles. She came and took away so many kids. Me and Whisper. We never saw them again. That’s why I use my powers. It’s why I trained myself, embracing this gift instead of running from it.”</p><p>“So, you can protect us.” He rubbed at his puncture wounds.</p><p>She nodded. “Goggles, if you allow me I’d like to show you.”</p><p>For some reason, he found himself agreeing with her. And watching her smile, he stopped feeling so much like a freak.</p><p>“Open your mind up” She ordered, turning serious.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Open your mind up. Like it says in the comic book, our minds are our strength.”</p><p>“If you say so.” Goggles closed his eyes, trying to open his mind. Reaching out with each breath he took, until he found someone close by, latching onto her.  </p><p>“It’s not working” Fire’s voice sounded like it was far away and underwater. “Goggles? Goggles!”</p><hr/><p>She groaned, looking up at the stairs. Dimly, she was aware of the taste of blood.</p><p>Coraline rolled over.</p><p>“Now who’s up making all that racket!” A southern voice rang through the house. “Don’t you know people are trying to sleep!”</p><p>Her remaining eye shot open. A puppet was awake.</p><p>Coraline jumped to her feet, only to crumble once more. Her head spun, her vision doubled as she fell again.</p><p>“I told you to knock off that racket.” The voice was getting closer. “Don’t you have any manners!”</p><p>She grunted, pulling herself up.</p><p>The hallway light flickered on.</p><p>“Where are you!”</p><p>She stumbled forward.</p><p>“Come out you brat!”</p><p>Her head pounded.</p><p>“Don’t think I won’t use the cane!”  </p><p>She fumbled with the door knob.</p><p>
  <em>This is it.</em>
</p><p>She shoved against the door.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll never see my family again.</em>
</p><p>The long shadow fell over her.</p><p>“There you are!”</p><p>She bit her lip.</p><p>The door finally gave way.</p><p>Something pushed her into the room.</p><p>“Don’t move.” A voice came from above her.</p><p>A hand covered her mouth.</p><p>“Once I get my hands on you I’ll skin you alive you darn cat!”</p><p>The footsteps ran past, the door.</p><p>“That was so close” the new voice released her and sighed. “Jonesy are you-“</p><p>She upper cut the shadowy figure. Pouncing before he hit the ground.</p><p>Her fists grabbed before she could get a hit in.</p><p>“Coraline!” she struggled to get out of the grip. “Coraline, it’s me! Caroline!”</p><p>She paused, blinking at the figure.</p><p>Through the darkness she could just make out two eyes. Human eyes!</p><p>She jumped back, watching as he flicked on a flashlight.</p><p>Olive eyes half covered by a mess of coffee-colored hair, stared back at her. She knew that face, somehow.</p><p>The face changed to something of horror. “Y-yo-your eye”</p><p>She covered her ‘other’ eye looking away.</p><p>He gave a nervous laugh. “J-Jonesy, we have to get out of here. You’re parents they’re-“</p><p>“I’m not leaving”</p><p>“Wh-what?”</p><p>“I said I’m not leaving!”</p><p>“B-but the other m-mother.”</p><p>“I don’t care about her. There are other kids who-“</p><p>“So, she wasn’t lying” A smooth voice came from behind.</p><p>The two kids glanced toward the wall, watching a black cat jump down from the air vent.</p><p>“It’s you!” She reached down petting the cat behind the ears.</p><p>“H-He helped me find you” She looked up to see the boy fiddling with his hands.</p><p>“And you are?” She said dryly.</p><p>He blinked. “Wybie… Wybie Lovat, we- we met before. I’m your neighbor at the pink palace.”</p><p>“Sorry doesn’t ring any bells.” She chose not to pay any attention to his heartbroken expression.</p><p>The boy sighed. “J-Jonesy, I came to help you get out. You’re p-parents they’re-”</p><p>“I don’t care”</p><p>“b-but- !”</p><p>“No, I don’t care”</p><p>“But they’re your parents!”</p><p>“Look there are kids here. Kids that need me. Kids that if I leave, that thing will get them!” She paused. “Wybie, they’ll be eaten by the thing they call their mother.”</p><p>Wybie looked at his feet.</p><p>“I can’t leave. I promised them I would get them out and fudge muffins that’s what I’m going to do.”</p><p>Wybie took a deep breath before speaking. “Jonesy, I- I came here to bring you home. After you left things- things got really crazy. And…” He sighed in defeat. “And I’m not sure I…”</p><p>“They have homes too.” Coraline said, looking the boy in the eye.</p><p>Wybie groaned, before throwing his hands up. “Alright fine, let’s go on some dangerous mission to rescue some kids but don’t blame me when we all get eaten!”</p><p>Coraline smiled, patting his shoulder. “It’s good to have you aboard”</p><p>“Now that that’s settled. We need to discuss your eye” The cat said.</p><p>“Oh, right” she said, covering it up again.</p><p>“Can’t we just remove it?” Wybie asked.</p><p>The cat stared at them for a while. “No, I’m afraid we can’t just remove it. Unless you feel like going blind.”</p><p>Coraline shook her head no.</p><p>“The problem is that the other mother won’t let you leave with that button.”</p><p>“So, what do we do?” Coraline asked.</p><p>“You’ll have to get rid of her I’m afraid. Although I suspect you were planning on doing that anyways”</p><p>Coraline nodded. “I can’t let her kidnap anymore kids.”</p><p>The cat smiled. “Alright, here’s what you need to do.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Maple?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He could no longer feel the solidness of the other’s girls mind. Instead it felt like a popped balloon, the gas swirling all around him.</p><p>Music slowly drifted to him. Growing louder with each second.</p><p>Goggles opened his eyes to muted colors of a city. The music turning into a distorted 80’s sound track, skipping every so often.</p><p>The boy took a step back from the unfamiliar environment, feeling the edge of a cliff beneath his bare feet. Behind him stretched an endless chasm filled with black bubbling goo.</p><p>“F-Fire?” Goggles shouted. “Whisper?”</p><p>No answer.</p><p>“Coraline?” He whispered hopelessly.</p><p>The Other Mother’s laugh echoed from every direction.</p><p><em>We never saw them again. </em>Fire’s words replaying in his head.</p><p>Without thinking he ran into the city, turning randomly to throw off the Beldam. He couldn’t let her catch up to him. He had been a bad boy. He had left the room. He had followed Coraline. He had learned about the sun.</p><p>Goggles slammed into the oddly plushie road face first, tears flying off his face. And the boy stayed like that, shaking, not bothering to get up.</p><p>“Hellow?” a voice said.</p><p>Goggles turned his head to face the darkened alley way. Two pairs of cartoon eyes stared back.</p><p>“Hellow?” the voice said again.</p><p>He pushed himself up, ready to bolt.</p><p>The eyes blinked. “Hellow?”</p><p>“He- Hello” Goggles answered, his eyes making out a giant yellow and black star. No, he shook his head. The star was covered in that black goo from the gorge.</p><p>The eyes blinked at him.</p><p>“Do- Do you know where I am?” Goggles tried, only to get blinks. “Do you know how I can get out? I want to get back to my…“</p><p><em>What are they? We’ve been living in the same room but… </em>Goggles questioned.</p><p>The star stared at the boy before slowly speaking. “Mabel”</p><p>“Maple?” Goggles repeated.</p><p>The star blinked twice, before its color started to darken and it’s body stiffened.</p><p>The boy frowned picking himself up. Ahead stood a tower and with no better place the boy started toward it.</p><hr/><p>Coraline stood up, cracking her back. Next to her Wybie eyed her.</p><p>“You- you be careful okay.” Wybie said.</p><p>She smiled before punching his arm. “You too. Can’t have you getting caught now can we.”</p><p>Coraline squinted, was that blush on Wybie’s cheeks?</p><p>Wybie awkwardly laughed. “Yeah don’t want to be eaten by some fake mother. Ha ha.”</p><p>Coraline watched him as he walked up to the door. Then a thought struck her. “Wybie wait!”</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>“I need somethings, can you get them?”</p><p>Wybie nodded determinedly. “S-sure what do you need”</p><p>Coraline listed a group of items.</p><p>“Y-yeah should be pretty easy. I’ll bring them to you to-tonight.” Wybie said before slipping out the door.</p><p>She stood there, staring at the door, counting to a hundred, then left the room in the opposite direction.</p><p>It took her a while, but she finally made it back to the mirror without being spotted. With any luck, Wybie would be home asleep by now.</p><p>Pushing her hand against the liquid surface, she walked through into the chaos.</p><hr/><p>It took a few U-turns but finally Goggles made it to the white sand beach where the tower stood. He looked around nervously. The beach was devoid of any life or sheltered. It was nothing like the cramped space he had been in for the last number of years. Should he choose to cross the stretch of land he be an easy target.</p><p><em>Maybe too easy. </em>He looked up at the darkening sky. <em>What would Coraline do? </em>He thought looking at the sole light coming from the tower.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, he ran.</p><p>The tower coming closer and closer to him, as he solely focused on running. He was halfway when the sand exploded, launching him into the air.</p><p>He landed on his back.</p><p>Groaning he watched a misshaped clay version of a giant boy with a hat emerged from the sand.</p><p>Goggles looked back. He was too far to run back to the city.</p><p>The giant boy yelled, blowing up sand into the wind. Forcing, Goggles to cover his buttons.</p><p><em>Be like Coraline. Be like Coraline. </em>The boy thought to himself as he clamped his namesake over his buttons.</p><p>The monster rose his fist into the air before bringing it down onto the boy.</p><p>Goggles jumped out of the way, using the opening to hit the monster with his own giant hand.</p><p>The monster howled before swinging its arm. Goggles could only watch as the arm hit him dead in the chest, knocking him a few feet away.</p><p>The ground shook as it started to lumber towards the boy.</p><p>Goggles, slightly stunned, chose to run. In the background the Other Mother’s laugh rang out once again.</p><p>“Mabel?” Goggles skirted to a stop. Ahead of him stood the star.</p><p>“No, we have to run! There’s a mon-“ Goggles never got to finish. A hardened lump of clay fell from the sky, crushing the star. Splattering black goo onto the pavement.</p><p>Goggles just stood there, stray black drops sticking to his face.</p><p>The monster roared in aggravation.</p><p>Goggles whipped around. The star hadn’t been a part of this, yet it still paid the ultimate price.</p><p>With his own roar, Goggles unleashed a raw wave of psychic power.</p><p>Drained the boy looked up. His attack had blown up the sands. The few remaining trees lay uprooted. And the monster was now just a lump of clay. He looked back down with a small smile.</p><p>“Embrace your gift huh?” He said out loud remembering Fire.</p><p>He froze hearing the thick sound of liquid moving. Ahead of him the lumps of clay had begun to move together.</p><p>Goggles stumbled forward. <em>I can’t fight that thing again. </em></p><p>A steadily as he could, the boy limped toward the tower. Ignoring the roars of the misshapen monster and the pounding of the ground as it came closer.</p><p>He had just closed the tower door behind him before he felt the monster throw his weight against the wood.</p><p>Goggles could only brace against the rotting wood as the monster slammed into it again and again. Praying that the door held up.</p><p>“Mabel!” The monster roared, finally giving up.</p><p>Goggles breathed in relief, taking in the room. Black goo hung everywhere, leaking from the ceiling and walls. Ahead of him was an elevator with a crooked out of order sign. A glowing light with the words ‘stairs’ pointed left.  </p><p>It took the boy a few tries to get his feet under him. On the way up he almost face planted several times. In the end, he had to rest at the top of the stairs, too exhausted to keep walking.</p><p>
  <em>What am I doing? This Maple might not even be here. </em>
</p><p>“Hello?” the boy yelled out, listening to his voice bounce off the walls.</p><p>The laughter of the beldam started again, and the tower started to violently shake.</p><p>Tiny pieces of ceiling fell onto his face. Goggles groaned, peeking up at the red tinted ceiling.</p><p>With a yelp the boy threw himself out of the way just before a large boulder crushed his spot.</p><p>Slowly the tower stopped shaking but his attention was left solely on the boulder.</p><p><em>That could have killed me</em>. He thought darkly.</p><p><em>That would have killed me. </em>He started to chuckle, before full on laughing. He took no notice of the tears dripping down his face.</p><hr/><p>She leaned against the window, looking out through the dirty glass at the dead gray colored city. Had this been a movie it would be raining now.</p><p>She continued to pick at her sweater numbly, slowly looking through every window of every building in the lifeless city.</p><p>That’s all it ever was. That was all anything ever was. Numb and lifeless. No happy music. No happy people… No happy family.</p><p>All she would ever do was stare.</p><p>And deep inside her she knew it was all she was ever good for.</p><p>“Mabel” someone said behind her.</p><p>She blinked away from the city window. John used to live there with his wife. They had been expecting a baby. She got to feel the baby kick.</p><p>“Mabel” They spoke again. “Mabel”</p><p>“Go away” Her voice badly cracking from lack of use.</p><p>She was met with silence.</p><p>Robotically she turned her head. Her long hair falling into her face.</p><p>No one.</p><p>She turned back to the window, not bothering to push away her hair.</p><p>Cruel laughter echoed around the girl. Flinching, she curled up, her memories taking over. </p><hr/><p>She was at school. The teacher had stepped out and everyone was quietly drawing.</p><p>She looked down at her desk, crayons were scattered around a blank piece of paper. She didn’t feel like drawing.</p><p>She looked over at ‘him’. He was happily drawing something, humming quietly as he worked. His happiness, his warmth made her almost feel like smiling. Almost.</p><p>She sat there, watching ‘him’. Watching how happy he was.</p><p>He turned to speak to her before his paper was ripped away.</p><p>“Hey!” he screamed at another boy.</p><p>“Hey, everyone look what Stupid made”. The bully announced, waving the paper high.</p><p>She could see the paper clearly now. ‘He’ had drawn a werewolf dressed in a mailman outfit.</p><p>Around her, other students laughed at ‘him’.</p><p>“Don’t you know we’re supposed to draw something real, Stupid” The bully said.</p><p>“It is real!” ‘He’ replied.</p><p>The class laughed harder. Around them, she could make out taunts being thrown at ‘him’.</p><p>“It is” ‘He’ insisted. “Ma-Mabel believes in it too.”</p><p>The class grew silent. “Is that true?” The bully asked harshly.</p><p>In front of her, ‘he’ looked at her with hopeful eyes.</p><p>And she wanted to. She wanted to agree with ‘him’. But someone else spoke through her body. A cruel someone.</p><p>“Pfbtt, of course not” She said.</p><p>The class raged into laughter and taunts, but she paid no notice. No, all her attention was on ‘him’ and his heartbreaking expression.</p><hr/><p>She blinked.</p><p>She was back in the gray city. Back to the numbness.</p><p>Her hand picked at her sweater.</p><p>She hated it here. But she didn’t deserve to leave.</p><p>Mabel looked out the window again. Focusing on a new window. Bone’s lived in that room. He used to try to make her laugh, using his rib cage as a musical instrument.</p><p>A roaring caught her attention. <em>The guardian? </em>Mabel thought.</p><p>Stiffly she swung around, slowly walking toward the door.</p><p>She made it to the hall when the laughter came again, bringing another memory. </p><hr/><p>She chewed at her lip. She was in her house this time. ‘He’ was storming up the stairs with his school backpack.</p><p>She reached out to him. “Will you just talk to me!” her voice screamed.</p><p>He kept walking.</p><p>“As your older sister I command you to stop!”</p><p>‘He’ paused. “That’s just it, Mabel. You’re not my Sister.”</p><p>She watched as he disappeared upstairs. Tears running down her face.</p><p>Her memory-self moved. Stomping down the hall to their father’s study. Wasting no time throwing the door open. It didn’t matter anyways their parents were never home. It was always just her and her brother.</p><p>She sat down at the nearly-new desk and took out a sheet of paper. Carefully, she started to write.</p><p>It took her awhile, crossing out words and rewriting everything. Her eyes full of tears the entire time. When she was done she folded the letter in half, sliding out of the chair.</p><p>She was ready to leave forever.</p><p>But something caught her eye. In the corner, next to a small door, was a doll. A doll that looked like her.</p><p>Curiously, she pushed the doll away and opened the new door. </p><hr/><p>She was back in the hallway. Leaning against the wall. What had she been doing?</p><p>She should be back in her room. Back where she can’t hurt anyone.</p><p>Mabel started to turn back, but the sound of crying caught her attention.</p><p>Numbly she turned around heading toward the sound.</p><p>Mabel paused, ahead of her was a boy, younger than her possibly, in his pajamas, red goggles covering his eyes. He was curled up against the wall crying.</p><p>Something told her to comfort the boy, but she just stood there, staring like a horrible person.</p><p>It was only when the boy wiped his nose with his sleeve did she move.</p><p>“Here” Mabel said, holding out a tissue box she had summoned.</p><p>The boy flinched before looking at her. Shakily snatching a tissue.</p><p>They just stood like that, both of them not saying a thing.</p><p>“He- Hello” The boy finally started. Mabel knew he was looking at her buttons.</p><p>“Do- do you know where- where we are?”</p><p>“Sweater town”</p><p>The boy gave her a confused look. “Do- do you know where my friends are?”</p><p>Mabel blinked. “Friends?”</p><p>“Coraline and Whisper.” The boy said before mumbling, “At least I think they’re my friends.”</p><p>“There’s- there’s no one here- uhh”</p><p>“Goggles”</p><p>“Goggles?” She repeated.</p><p>He nodded. “It’s the only name I know.”</p><p>“Oh…” She noted that the boy seemed to be recovering.</p><p>“Do you know where I can find Maple?”</p><p>She blinked, how odd. “Mabel?”</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>“I’m Mabel” She pointed to herself.</p><p>“Mabel?” the boy oddly questioned. “Oh.”</p><p>A roar came from downstairs, startling Goggles.</p><p>Mabel tiredly walked toward the stairs. Ignoring the boy.</p><p>“Wait!” She heard the boy cry, but she continued.</p><p>Behind her she heard Goggles start down after her.</p><p>Then the laughter started. </p><hr/><p>She was in the middle of the ceremony. Choosing sparkly pink button eyes instead of that ugly black.</p><p>That’s when her brother came in with a bat.</p><p>After knocking her mother to the floor, he grabbed her hand. The thread still hanging from her unfinished eye, preventing her from seeing.</p><p>“Come on Mabel we have to leave.” He yelled.</p><p>She pulled back.</p><p>“Mabel, what are you doing come on!”</p><p>“I don’t want to leave!” She yelled back.</p><p>“What?” Her brother sounded heart broken.</p><p>“I don’t want to leave. I like it here.” She had smiled at him.</p><p>“Mabel what are you saying? You have to come home… you- you’re my sister”</p><p>“But I don’t know you” she had said that. She had said that to the best person in her life.</p><p>He looked like he was going to puke. “Mabel, sis, please, please come with me.”</p><p>“Ok” she said in response to his hopeless tone. </p><hr/><p>She awoke to Goggles holding her arm, keeping her from sliding down the stairs.</p><p>“A- Are you okay?” Goggles ask from above her.</p><p>She was too tired to respond.</p><p>Everything was so heavy, so she just sat there.</p><p>“Mabel?” Goggles asked.</p><p>“Go away”</p><p>She heard the boy shift on the step above her.</p><p>“Ma- Mabel… I- I’m here be- because…”</p><p>“I said go away.” Mabel said harshly.</p><p>He released her arm.</p><p>“I just want to be alone” she mumbled.</p><p>She was met with silence.</p><p>She had pushed Goggles away.</p><p>She had finally pushed the boy away.</p><p>And like always she was alone.</p><p>Just like she wanted.</p><p>“Cora-“</p><p>Mabel jumped.</p><p>“Coraline wouldn’t leave… she wouldn’t leave me… and- and I won’t leave you” Goggles voice came from the step above.</p><p>“Now- now let’s’ get out of here.” She heard him stand.</p><p>She turned, looking through the curtain of her hair.</p><p>Goggles had his hand outstretched to her.</p><p>“I’m… I’m a terrible person.” She started. She thought of her brother’s back walking up the stairs.</p><p>“I’ve- I’ve hurt people” She thought of how her brother looked at her when she broke his heart.</p><p>“I- I shouldn’t-“</p><p>“Leave?” Goggles finished. He sat down on the stair next to her. “I know how you feel.”</p><p>She stared into his goggles.</p><p>“We’re- we’re freaks. Freaks that- that no one wants. That’s why Mother took us in, right?”</p><p>Mabel curled into her sweater.</p><p>“But… but I don’t care. Be- because I have Coraline, and- and maybe Whisper. And Fire has been… well she’s getting better.”</p><p>She watched as he put her hand on her shoulder. “And may- maybe you too?”</p><p>He suddenly pulled back. “I- I mean if you want to I- I guess.”</p><p>It started slow, at first but before long, her tears became a waterfall. She latched onto the boy, trying to suck in enough breath as she wailed.</p><p>Throughout it all, Goggles just let it happen. Patting her back, keeping her grounded with his presents.</p><p>She eventually cried herself out, just staying there laying against his shoulder.</p><p>“Goggles?” She asked.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“Can- can you be my brother?”</p><p>He shifted and she felt her heart drop.</p><p>“Are- are you sure you want a freak like me as a brother?”</p><p>“… only if you’d have a monster for a sister”</p><p>Goggles started laughing. “It’s a deal then”</p><p>Mabel smiled, standing up. Then a thought entered her head.</p><p>“Goggles? You- you said you wanted to get out of, here right?”</p><p>She watched him nod.</p><p>“Mabel. Do you know how?”</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>“Then- then we can get back to Coraline and the others.” The boy brightened, running down the steps.</p><p>“So, what do we do Mabel?”</p><p>She opened her mouth to begin speaking, when a roar came outside the tower. Goggles flinched.</p><p>“That… we have to defeat…” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.</p><p>Goggles hesitated, looking down the stairs.</p><p>“He’s- he’s trapping you in here, right?” Goggles asked.  </p><p>“Goggles”</p><p>He looked back at her, and through the red tinted goggles, she saw a tiny flickering flame burst to life. It almost looked like-</p><p>A large boom echoed up the staircase.</p><p>“MAYBALL” A distorted yell followed the bang.</p><p>The two kids just stared, watching the dust rise from the floor below. It was only when the giant misshaped hand of clay reached upward did Goggles start to run.</p><p>“Go!” He yelled grabbing her hand.</p><p>The monster yelled, pounding the staircase. Mabel fell down from the shock wave, catching herself on the step.</p><p>“Goggles!” She yelled, watching him tumble down the stairs.</p><p>The boy, using the momentum of the fall, jumped up. Slamming a giant orange hand onto the clay-version of her brother.</p><p>“Mabel! Run!” he yelled.</p><p>Then the laughter started, and she fell into her memories. </p><hr/><p>They had run to the garage after finding the door locked.</p><p>Her brother, determined to ‘fix’ her had said they needed to remove her button.</p><p>“It’s not even fully in, we just have to take it off.” He said, slightly stuttering.</p><p>She had let him. She had let him crack her button. And that’s when the memories came back. She remembered the bully, the fight, the letter, everything from the past week.</p><p>When she came she was kneeling in a pool of blood.</p><p>“Leave her alone!” Her brother was yelling, standing over her protectively.</p><p>“Brother?” She whispered. She had wanted to say his name, but that was still missing.</p><p>He flinched, all of his attention on the spider-like women in front of them.</p><p>“I mean it!” Her brother cried.</p><p>“Oh, but I can’t.” The women said. “Don’t you see your sister already belongs to me.”</p><p>He fell silent before speaking. “Take me then.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Take me instead of Mabel!” He cried.</p><p>The spider woman accepted and weakly she watched as the woman sewed buttons into her brother’s eyes. She watched as he flinched every time the woman touched him. She watched as he started to cry.</p><p>When it was done the woman turned to her. “Now dear let’s finish you up.”</p><p>Numbly, she let the woman go back on her word.</p><p>Numbly, she let the woman lead them through the house.</p><p>Numbly, she heard the woman says that she was their mother and they were her children.</p><p>It was only when they had entered the room did she break out of it.</p><p>She had turned to yell at her brother. Telling him that everything was his fault. How she hated him. Because blaming him was better than admitting that this was her fault.</p><p>She had told him to go away.</p><p>She had run away after that. Taking a one-way trip to sweater town. And never coming out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Family Train</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She awoke at the top of the stairs.</p><p>Her mind felt hazy as she sorted out her thoughts.</p><p>She had left the room… there had been a boy and-</p><p><em>Goggles!</em> Mabel bolted up.</p><p>He was nearby pushing against a large slab of rock down the stairs.</p><p>She scrambled to get up, taking note of his black eye and various bruises.</p><p>Mabel slammed against the rock, digging her bare feet into the floor.</p><p>Goggles grunted doing the same.</p><p>The two felt the ground shake as the guardian climbed the stairs.</p><p><em>He’s so close. </em>Mabel thought.</p><p><em>I’ll have to go back to the room. </em>She screamed, pushing harder.</p><p>The rock shifted.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t want to go back to the room!</em>
</p><p>Next to her Goggles slammed against the rock.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t want to leave Goggles!</em>
</p><p>The rock slid, toppling down the stairs.</p><p>
  <em>I NOT going to leave my family again. </em>
</p><p>Mabel watched as the piece of rock hit the clay monster. The concrete bursting into shards of light.</p><p>The clay-version of her brother, the guardian, looked up at her. The light infecting its clay body.  </p><p>“Sister.” It said, grinning up at her before the light over came it.</p><p>“Thank you” Mabel said, as it shattered into light.</p><p>Wiping away, the tear from her eye she turned to look at Goggles.</p><p>“You- you said you wanted to get out of here?”</p><p>“Mabel that was ama-“</p><p>He was interrupted as the world started to violently shake.</p><p>A chunk of ceiling fell a foot away from her, exploding the floor tile.</p><p>Pulsing, black goo reached out from the new hole.</p><p>Another block fell. Followed by another.</p><p>Behind her the stairs broke, revealing a sea of black goo.</p><p>“Mabel!” Goggles screamed.</p><p>She turned to see a rock fall past his face, breaking his path to her.</p><p>Mabel took a step back only to find no floor.</p><p>They were rapidly running out of room.</p><p>“Goggles!” She yelled back, over the chaos.</p><p>He looked at her, and she understood.</p><p>She understood because that was the look her brother had given her.</p><p>It was the look that her brother had given her when he was getting his button sewed in.</p><p>It was the look that she trusted.</p><hr/><p>Goggles locked eyes with Mabel.</p><p>He had to do something.</p><p>They were losing ground fast.</p><p>They were going to die.</p><p><em>“Just take a breath son” </em>He remembered.</p><p>And he did.</p><p>He took a giant breath before starting forward.</p><p>Pushing off the ground.</p><p>And leaping over the 4-foot gap.</p><p>And into his new sister’s arms.</p><p>He grabbed a hold of her as he heard his old platform crumple.</p><p>“Goggles?” Mabel spoke above him.</p><p>He took another breath, searching his soul.</p><p>“I’m sorry” his sister finished.</p><p>He dug up the last remainder of his power, forming a bubble.</p><p>Right as their platform broke.</p><p>He held her tight as they fell.</p><p>He had to keep up his psychic energy.</p><p>For them.</p><p>For them to get back home.</p><p>For them to get back to Coraline, and Whisper.</p><p>‘For me to say I’m sorry’ He heard Mabel echo in his head.</p><p>“MABEL” a voice came from above.</p><p><em>The male twin?</em> Goggles thought before they hit the black goo.</p><p>Choppy words of the Other Mother reached his ears.</p><p>“I —- you”</p><p>“How could —-“</p><p>“—- Horrible —”</p><p>He hugged Mabel tighter.</p><p>“Worthless—”</p><p>“Rotten”</p><p>“Monster”</p><p>He felt his bubble start to fade.</p><p>Goggles felt a moment of terror.</p><p>And then Mabel screamed.</p><p>“You’re wrong!” she said against the Other Mother’s Voice.</p><p>“We- we aren’t your children. We aren’t monsters. We aren’t freaks. We aren’t yours!”</p><p>“We deserve to be happy. We deserve to have friends. We deserve to be a family.”</p><p>“And you can’t stop us!”</p><p>Light spread out from the two of them, silencing the voices.</p><p>Next thing he knew he was on a beach, still clutching Mabel. Sand pooling between his toes. A gentle repetitive roaring came from the left of them.</p><p>He didn’t care.</p><p>He just hugged the gir- no his new sister.</p><p>They stayed like that. Just hugging each other.</p><p>Then she shifted, looking at him through the curtain of her hair with a small smile.</p><p>He smiled back.</p><p>Mabel turned her head. “Wow”</p><p>Goggles followed her gaze towards the city.</p><p>The buildings were completely destroyed creating a wasteland of rubble. He could see creatures standing over the rubble. Some were helping pull others from the destruction. Others were carrying rocks.</p><p><em>They’re rebuilding. </em>He realized.</p><p>“Goggles.”</p><p>He turned to find Mabel looking at him.</p><p>“Thank you” She said, tears in her eyes.  </p><p>He smiled back at her, a funny feeling forming in his chest.</p><p>“I’m glad… I’m glad you didn’t listen when I told you to go away.”</p><p>The funny feeling grew, and he looked down.</p><p>His body was glowing.</p><p>“Goodbye Goggles.” Mabel smiled.</p><p>“Mabel?”</p><p>“I’m glad I made you up”</p><p>“Mabel!” He screamed as everything went white. </p><hr/><p>“Mabel!” Goggle screamed, bolting up off mattress.</p><p>“Goggles!” Coraline’s face appeared in front of his.</p><p>“Core-“</p><p>“Don’t you dare do that to me again!” Fire screamed next to him.</p><p>“Give him some space!” Coraline shoved Fire.</p><p>“Why don’t you give him some space” Fire shoved the girl back.</p><p>Goggles pushed past the two girls into the crowded room.</p><p>“Mabel” he screamed, navigating around the boxes.</p><p>He heard three sets of footsteps following him.</p><p>“Goggles!” Coraline screamed, grabbing his arm. “Goggles, what’s-”</p><p>“I- I have to get to Mabel” He struggled against her.</p><p>“Who’s Mabel?”</p><p>“She’s- she’s- “ Goggles paused, thinking things over.</p><p>“Goggles?” Coraline bent down.</p><p>“I- I need to talk to the girl twin” He realized.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I need to talk to the girl twin. She’s- she’s hurting and I-”</p><p>“Goggles calm down. You’re not making any sense.”</p><p>Goggles shoved Coraline off, running back into the maze of junk.</p><p><em>Mabel</em>. He thought. <em>Hold on I’m coming.</em></p><p>Finally, he found the girl, and her guardian.  </p><p>There sat the male twin, his arms wrapped around his sister, protectively.</p><p>Goggles took a step forward.</p><p>The male twin stared him down. Challenging him to get closer.</p><p>Goggles took that challenge. He needed to help Mabel.</p><p>The male twin leaped at him, growling.</p><p>The two hit the floor. The twin wildly throwing punches, snarling like a wild animal. Goggles held the other boy back, trying to block the attacks.</p><p>Then the twin was lifted up. He took the opening, running to Mabel.</p><p>“Mabel!” Goggles yelled in the girl’s face. “Mabel!” </p><hr/><p>She looked around her kingdom. Everything was so… new now.</p><p>Like everything had been wiped clean.</p><p>Mabel looked down at her hands, softly smiling. <em>I… I can move on. </em></p><p>“Mabel!” a voice screamed from the sky.</p><p>“Gog- Goggles?” She lifted her head, looking around the area.</p><p>“Mabel!” His voice screamed again.</p><p>“Goggles!”</p><p>“Mabel you have to wake up!”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You have to wake up, Mabel!”</p><p>“But… but my…” She paused, thinking back on the boy. Thinking back on how she had first met him. How he had battled the guardian for her. How he had said they were family. How he had gotten that fire in his eye.</p><p>“Ok” she said as a glowing light surrounded her.</p><p>She blinked away the light.</p><p>She… she was in her sweater with something warm holding her.</p><p>“Mabel?”</p><p>Disbelieving, she looked up into Goggles’ button eyes.</p><p>And he smiled at her.</p><p>“M- Mabel?” her brothers voice said.</p><p>She turned to look at him. He was being held between two girls.</p><p>“Ma- Mabel?” her brother said again.</p><p>“Br-brother?” She slowly rose to her feet, stumbling.</p><p>Goggles caught her, escorting close to the boy she had blamed.</p><p>“Ma- Mabel I’m- I’m so sorry.” Her brother started.</p><p>“No.” She cut him off.</p><p>Her heart squeezing at his whimper.</p><p>“I’m the one who’s sorry.” She continued. “If- if I hadn’t been so selfish then-“</p><p>“No” He cut her off this time. “Mabel I- I didn’t- I wasn’t able to-“</p><p>“I just sat there at let her sew in your buttons.”</p><p>“So- I was the one who-“</p><p>“I’m the reason we’re down here.”</p><p>“And I’m the reason we’re still down here.”</p><p>“And I’m sorry!” they both shouted.</p><p>Mabel looked at her sibling. He was crying.</p><p>“You’re- you’re crying” He said.</p><p>She giggled. “You are too.”</p><p>He laughed at that.</p><p>“Awkward sibling hug?” She tried.</p><p>“Awkward sibling hug.” He said pulling her into a hug.</p><p>And she hugged him for all her worth. Determined to not let him go again.</p><p>Something fell to the floor behind her.</p><p>“Goggles!” Two voices screamed.</p><p>She pulled back to look at her savior, now face down on the floor, unmoving. </p><hr/><p>Coraline walked into the base, her bag resting on her shoulder.</p><p>Smiling, she made a beeline for the twins. Mabel, as Goggles had dubbed her, had been attached to her brother by the hip since she had woken up.</p><p>The male twin stiffened as she came closer. “Cor- Coraline.” The boy nodded.</p><p>Mabel smiled at her through her ill kept hair. Her cracked button catching on some of the strands.</p><p>“The roll I gave you was crushed before and I figured you want some more.” Coraline said handing out two new pieces of bread.</p><p>The male twin stared at it, before Mabel reached out and took them.</p><p>“Th- thank you” Mabel said giving a roll to her brother.</p><p>Without hesitation, the girl bit into the roll, nudging her brother to do the same.</p><p>Coraline watched as the two happily enjoyed their bread. The sweet glaze dripping down their chins.</p><p>The male twin finished first. Wiping his chin with his arm.</p><p>“Coraline.”</p><p>She looked him in the eye.</p><p>“We’ve decided we want to get out of here.” He said. “If-if y-you’ll have u-us th-that i-is.”</p><p>Coraline ruffled the boy’s hair in response, then she paused.</p><p>“The big dipper?” Coraline questioned.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You’re birthmark. It’s the big dipper.”</p><p>“What’s that?” Mabel asked.</p><p>“Well it’s…” Coraline paused thinking of the words. Behind her she heard Whisper walk up.</p><p>“The big dipper is a shape made out of stars and stars are like little mini suns. They are little tiny balls of light in the sky, but they’re weak so you can only see them at night when the sun’s not out.”</p><p>“So, they’re useless.” The male twin said.</p><p>“No. In fact they used to help people navigate. The sun was always moving so everyone would use the stars to find their way around. It’s because of this that people made up stories about the stars.” Coraline grinned. “Like the story about the big dipper, or the great bear.”</p><p>“Bear?”</p><p>“Yeah, a mighty beast and protector of the sky.”</p><p>The male twin blushed, looking toward the ground.</p><p>“I- I like the name Dipper” He mumbled.</p><p>Mabel smiled. “I like the name Dipper too.” She said leaning against her twin.</p><p>Coraline smiled, getting up.</p><p>She walked to Whisper, who watched her with a curious look.</p><p>Handing him another roll, Coraline watched as he stuffed the whole thing in his mouth.</p><p>“Coraline?” Mabel asked.</p><p>“Yeah?” She turned around.</p><p>“Goggles- Goggles said he’d be- he’d be a part of my family.”</p><p>She blinked. <em>When did that happen?</em></p><p>“And- and I was wondering- if- if you’d be my sister.”</p><p>Dipper gave his sister a startled look, before looking at Coraline.</p><p>“I’ve always wanted a little sister.”</p><p>Whisper grabbed at her clothes.</p><p>“Can- can you be my sister too?” Whisper asked.</p><p>Coraline swept him into a hug. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you out, Whisper.”</p><p>She released him. “Now how about you three get some sleep. We have a big night ahead of us.”</p><p>Whisper yelped before running over towards Dipper. As She left she caught the word brother being shared.</p><p>Her smile fell as she approached the fallen member of their group.</p><p>Goggles looked so frail laying still on the mattress. Usually he’d be whimpering or tossing and turning.</p><p>“He’s just exhausted you know.” Fire said, running her fingers through the boy’s hair. “He probably used up too much energy from before.”</p><p>“And what happened before?” Coraline had never gotten the full story. She had walked through the mirror, only to find Fire screaming at Goggles and Whisper freaking out over the still boy’s body.</p><p>“He- I think he went into Mabel’s mind.”</p><p>“Went into her mind?”</p><p>Fire nodded. “We’re psychics, we- we should be able to enter other people’s minds and-“</p><p>“And what?”</p><p>“I don’t know…”</p><p>Coraline gave the girl an odd look.</p><p>“I’ve- I’ve never been able to do it. I’ve only been able to catch some thoughts and even then, I have to focus.” Fire paused. “I’m self-taught. I only know some things.”</p><p>She didn’t know how to respond.</p><p>“Coraline. Do you think there’s someone who can teach me in the real world?”</p><p>Coraline bolted up.</p><p>“Everyone’s leaving, right?” Fire said.</p><p>“Yes”</p><p>“So, if we kill the Beldam, there will be no reason for me to stay.”</p><p>Coraline nodded.</p><p>“Then I want to kill her. I want to stop her love once and for all. And if- if we do that then-“</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Then I’ll jump on your stupid friendship train.”</p><p>Coraline smiled. “I think you missed the memo. It’s a stupid family train now.”</p><p>Fire gave her a look.</p><p>“You can blame Goggles.” She said throwing a roll at the girl. “Now get some sleep, we’ll need that hot-headed attitude of yours tomorrow.”</p><p>Fire glared but curled up on the mattress, taking as little space as possible, silently munching on her roll.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Flower?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You all ready?” Coraline said looking back at each of them.</p><p>Mabel nodded, looking unsure. Next to her Dipper stood strong. He had torn off a chair leg, ready to beat the Beldam with it.</p><p>Whisper stood to the left of them. He had actually gotten a few hours of sleep while they waited. Now he looked ready to move forward. To see the real world.</p><p>Fire was no different. She was determined to win this battle. To stop this endless cycle of cannibalism.</p><p>Goggles nodded softly. He knew what horrors would await them, but he was still determined to move on. Coraline mentally sighed, she knew the goggled boy was not fully recovered yet. Yet he still chose to continue.</p><p>The blue haired girl stepped through the mirror. Behind her she heard the gasps of the other kids.</p><p>“Dipper, look- it’s it’s color” Mabel said happily. “There’s there’s pink and brown and and some blue.”</p><p>“What’s this color?” Fire asked.</p><p>“I think that’s green?” Mabel answered.</p><p>“It’s pretty” Fire said.</p><p>Coraline smiled. She couldn’t wait for them to see the real world, not this mess of muted colors.</p><p>“We should be quite” Whisper softly said.</p><p>Coraline inwardly agreed before she started slowly moving forward. The kids behind her either on guard or fascinated by the new space.</p><p>“Alright one at a time now.” Coraline whispered, peeking around the corner. Ahead of her was the hallway where she had almost been caught before.</p><p>The room seemed like the best place to meet up. It was far enough into the house that the Beldam wouldn’t use it regularly yet easy enough to find again.</p><p>“Goggles you first.” The green button boy nodded before running to the door. Coraline watched as the boy struggled with the door knob.</p><p><em>Come on, come on</em>-</p><p>Finally, the stubborn door opened, letting the small boy inside.</p><p>“Okay Dipper you’re turn.”</p><p>She watched at the male twin hugged his sister, whispering something in her ear, before darting around the corner.  </p><p>She waited for the boy to disappear behind the door before sending Mabel.</p><p><em>Three kids down</em>.</p><p>“Whis-“ Coraline started before Fire left.</p><p>She held back a groan at the girl.</p><p>“Ok now it’s your turn Whisper”</p><p>The boy hugged her before running through the hallway.</p><p>At the end Goggles’ and Fire’s face peering through the door.</p><p>Halfway on the journey, the spikey haired boy tripped. Hitting the wooden boards with a loud smack.</p><p>The old house groaned, and the lights began to flicker.</p><p>Coraline didn’t wait for Whisper to get back up. She ran around the corner, pulling him up by his jacket. Now on his feet the two children ran for the door.</p><p>They made it, out of breath but they made it. Behind them, Coraline heard Fire slam the door shut.</p><p>“S-sorry” Whisper said, panting.</p><p>Coraline shook her head. “It could have happened to anyone.”</p><p>“Now has-“</p><p>Everyone froze at the sound of something tapping on the window.</p><p>
  <em>Did she find us?</em>
</p><p>The tapping stopped.</p><p>“Coraline?” Goggles questioned.</p><p>The tapping started again. Behind her Dipper and Mabel whimpered.</p><p>Fire started forward, ready to burn.</p><p>Coraline followed.</p><p>She was halfway across the room, when Fire opened the window.</p><p>“It’s for you” the girl said dryly before backing up.</p><p>Wybie’s head appeared over the window frame, the cat perched on his shoulder.</p><p>“Coraline hey!” the boy said, dropping a paper bag through the window.</p><p>The kids watched as the boy tried to get over the window frame, only to faceplant.</p><p>“He- he has two eyes” Goggles said.</p><p>Wybie shot up, taking in the five kids for the first time.</p><p>“Uh” He started. “h-hi, I’m- I’m Wybie. N-nice to to meet you”</p><p>The kids, except for Fire, scrambled behind her.</p><p>Wybie pouted.</p><p>“Oh, quit looking like a sad kitten” The cat hissed. “You can’t expect them to trust you”</p><p>Coraline stepped forward. “Did you get them?”</p><p>“Wh- Oh yeah!” Wybie perked up reaching behind him.</p><p>“I- I had my grandma take me to the store today to get them developed” He said reaching into the paper bag. “I tried to take as many pictures as I could so-“</p><p>Wybie held out the sheets of paper. On top was a cloudy sky with the sun peeking through the Oregon clouds.</p><p>Whisper edged closer, looking at the paper.</p><p>“That’s the sun” Coraline told him.</p><p>Whisper snatched the top paper, holding it in front of him. Goggles and Fire walked up behind him.</p><p>“What are those?” Mabel asked pointing to the next picture.</p><p>Coraline walked over. “Those are radishes, you can eat them.”</p><p>“They’re from the real world?” Dipper asked hopefully.</p><p>“All of the pictures are. Coraline asked me to take as many as I could.” Wybie explained.</p><p>Mabel squealed before grabbing a hand full and rushing to show the rest of the kids.</p><p>Wybie smiled. “They look so happy over the simplest things.” He stated.</p><p>“Yeah, just think how they’ll react when we get them out.” Coraline said, helping him up.</p><p>“Won’t that be a sight. Here this is for you.” Wybie said.</p><p>“Thanks” She said placing the object in her pocket.</p><p>“Coraline what’s this.” Goggles asked waving around a picture.</p><p>“Is this a flower?” Dipper asked pointing to a slug.</p><p>Coraline smiled, before getting up. “Just hang on guys, I’ll-“</p><p>The room shook violently, knocking everyone to the ground.</p><p>“Guys!” Coraline screamed reaching out, just as the floor opened up.</p><p>Then darkness.</p><p>———————————————————————————————————–</p><p>Wybie gasped, feeling the old floor boards of his house beneath him.</p><p>Sorely, he rolled over, catching the eyes of one of the button kids.</p><p>The girl was glaring at him through a set of yellow buttons.</p><p>“Uh?”</p><p>“Don’t move or I set you on fire” the girl’s hand caught on fire.</p><p>Wybie yelped jumping back. <em>Just what has Coraline gotten into? </em></p><p>“Wh- where’s Coraline?” He tried.</p><p>“Why do you want to know” she snarled.</p><p>“So- so you don’t light me o-on fire”</p><p>“And why shouldn’t I, two eyed” the girl spat. “I bet you sold us out to the Beldam. Didn’t want to lose your eyes so you decided to sell us out.”</p><p>“Wh-what?”</p><p>“Well your game ends here traitor.” The girl threw down the fire, running into the darkness.</p><p>“Wait!” Wybie yelled, scrambling up and running in the direction of the footsteps.</p><p>“Look I’m-“ he ran into a spider web, tearing through the material with a twang.</p><p>The boy slowed to a stop. <em>Spider webs don’t make twangs </em>He thought feeling the material.</p><p>
  <em>Thread?</em>
</p><p>Wybie’s hand shook as he reached down to his right pocket.</p><p>Slowly he brought up his welding mask. Twisting the three eyes to night vision mode.</p><p>He bit back a scream at what they were walking through.</p><p>No longer were they in his grandmother’s house. In fact, he almost wished he was back there waiting for some news about his missing neighbor from the police.</p><p>No, they were in a much, much darker place.</p><p>All around him were spider webs made of threads, suspending tiny doll heads with their eyes cut out. Their mouth’s twisted into sewn smiles.</p><p>A hand touched his shoulder.</p><p>“Don’t you want to stay.”</p><p>Wybie took off.</p><p>He tore through the mess of threads. Snapping thread after thread.</p><p>Running. Running as fast as he could.</p><p>Snapping. Snapping through all the thread.</p><p>Until he wasn’t.</p><p>His arm caught first, snapping him back.</p><p>He pulled. Pulled against the spider like webbing. Trying to pull his arm free.</p><p>It didn’t snap.</p><p>He looked back.</p><p>His arm was trapped in a mess of threads.</p><p>They didn’t snap.</p><p>He twisted, using his other arm to free it.</p><p>But his other arm didn’t move.</p><p>It didn’t snap.</p><p>He pushed against the floor boards.</p><p>They didn’t snap.</p><p>Nothing would snap.</p><p>He looked up, screaming.</p><p>Screaming for help.</p><p>Giggling.</p><p>Giggling dolls answered.</p><p>They descended from the ceiling.  </p><p>Their smiles twisted.</p><p>Their arms suspended.</p><p>Their eyes gone.</p><p>Pounding.</p><p>His heart was pounding.</p><p>He couldn’t move.</p><p>He couldn’t think.</p><p>He couldn’t get free.</p><p>“Twang. Snip.”</p><p>“Snip. Twang.”</p><p>The dollies sang.</p><p>A head came down.</p><p>Suspended by threads.</p><p>“Twang. Snip.”</p><p>“Snip. Twang.”</p><p>The dollies sang.</p><p>Wybie looked up.</p><p>Finding his grandmother’s head.</p><p>All buttoned up and ready to play.</p><p>A flash came.</p><p>From the disjointed hand.</p><p>A pair of rusty scissors lay.</p><p>“Twang. Snip.”</p><p>“Snip. Twang.”</p><p>“Don’t you want to play”</p><p>The dollies sang.</p><p>Snip.</p><p>Snip.</p><p>The scissors came.</p><p>“We only want your eyes,</p><p>Then you can play”</p><p>His grandmother sang.</p><p>Snip.</p><p>Snip.</p><p>The scissors came.</p><p>“No” Wybie shouted.</p><p>Twisting and pulling.</p><p>“I don’t want to play!”</p><p>The boy twisted, and to his luck he heard a snap.</p><p>Wasting no time, he reached into his back pocket, clicking the switch blade.</p><p>Without thinking he slashed the air in front of him.</p><p>The dolls stopped singing.</p><p>The threads loosened.</p><p>And he was free.</p><p>He was free of the horror the other mother created.</p><p>Trembling he opened his eyes, jolting backwards.</p><p>In front of him.</p><p>Lay the sliced head of his other grandmother.</p><p>“We just wanted to play” her voice sang.</p><p>Wybie kicked it away from him.</p><p><em>Just what has Coraline gotten into? </em>He thought.</p><p>A scream came out of the darkness.</p><p>Wybie’s head snapped.</p><p><em>That was that fire girl. </em>He thought.</p><p>Shakely, he walked into the darkness,</p><p>Making sure to not look at his grandmother’s face.</p><p>And, not seeing the millions of spiders,</p><p>Who left to play.</p><p>———————————————————————————————————–</p><p>He walked forward. His pant legs covering his heels.</p><p>“Come on this way” a girl’s voice said.</p><p>He roughly swallowed.</p><p>“We’re close.”</p><p>He stiffly nodded.</p><p>He hugged himself tighter.</p><p>“Just a little farther.”</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>As something wrapped around his neck.</p><p>Dragging its sharp pointed fingers across his flesh.</p><p>Slowly cutting off his breath.</p><p>And his ability to scream.</p><p>“Come on.”</p><p>The hand tightened.</p><p>“Whisper?”</p><p>He felt dizzy.</p><p>“Whisper!”</p><p>He was on death’s door step.</p><p>Then he could breathe again.</p><p>Coughing, Whisper looked behind him, finding the soft glow of a very, very angry ghost.</p><p>Aggie, with her colonial clothing stood over the thing that had been trying to kill him.</p><p>It’s eight long, needle legs kicking uselessly in the air.</p><p>Aggie zapped it again, knocking it back into the darkness.</p><p>She turned back to him, slightly pouting.</p><p>“I don’t see why she can’t leave you alone.”</p><p>Whisper nodded, still trying to catch his breath.</p><p>He felt the ghost girl touch his neck.</p><p>“Coraline’s going to have a fit when she sees this.” Aggie said.</p><p>“I-is it bad” Whisper managed.</p><p>Aggie said nothing.</p><p><em>It must be bad. </em>Whisper thought. “What was that thing?”</p><p>“A needle spider?” Aggie guessed. “I just hope there are no more of them.”</p><p>He nodded, getting up.</p><p>“H- Hey you should rest a bit more”</p><p>Whisper shook his head. “I have to find the others.”</p><p>He walked forward in silence. Aggie drifting next to him now.</p><p>A dull light shone from ahead.</p><p>
  <em>Aggie did say it was close.</em>
</p><p>He continued to walk slowly. He knew from Aggie, that danger was lurking all around.</p><p>As they grew closer the light began to take shape, forming the outline of a door.</p><p>Whisper grabbed the door knob.</p><p>“Be careful, the Beldam won’t let you go without a fight.” Aggie said, as he opened the door.</p><p>The two were met with an empty room. A sofa sat facing a flickering TV. Alphabet blocks were scattered around the coffee table.</p><p>Whisper took a step inside.</p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p>He took another and another.</p><p>Still nothing happened.</p><p>A frame caught his eye.</p><p>Quietly, he walked over to it.</p><p>Aggie watched from over his shoulder as he wiped away the dust.</p><p>The faces of Dipper and Mabel stared back. They had been smiling into the camera when the picture had been taken. Looking more alive that anyone he had ever seen.</p><p>The door slammed shut and he jumped.</p><p>In front of the door, stood Dipper. His face shadowed by his hair.</p><p>“D-Dipper!” Whisper croaked happily.</p><p>The other boy didn’t move.</p><p>“Dipper?”</p><p>“Why are you always the lucky one?” Dipper finally said.</p><p>“Wh- what?”</p><p>Dipper chuckled. “It’s a shame you know. You were the only one to survive.”</p><p>Dipper lifted his head, revealing two empty eye sockets.</p><p>Just.</p><p>Like.</p><p>Agatha.</p><p>Then the floor fell through.</p><p>And Whisper screamed.</p><p>He jolted up.</p><p>He- he was sitting on a mattress.</p><p>In- in their old room.</p><p>Shakily, he got up.</p><p><em>I must have been screaming pretty loud. </em>He thought rubbing his neck.</p><p>He looked around the room, taking a deep breath.</p><p>His companions sat off to the side, sleeping against each other. He looked over each of them, staring at Dipper the longest.</p><p>
  <em>It was just a nightmare. Wybie, Dipper, Everything. It was just a nightmare.</em>
</p><p>He glanced back up at his companions.</p><p>
  <em>It was just a nightmare.</em>
</p><p>He turned toward Dipper, looking away at seeing the boy’s buttonless head.</p><p><em>I- I need some air</em>. He thought getting up.</p><p>He walked around the familiar junk, before settling in front of the mirror.</p><p>
  <em>It- it was ju-just a bad dream. Co-Coraline said we’d escape tonight after all.</em>
</p><p>A clock chimed from somewhere in the mess.</p><p>
  <em>She said we’d escape.</em>
</p><p>“Whisper?” Coraline’s voice came from his left. “You should be sleeping”</p><p>He stayed silent, even when she sighed.</p><p>He felt her arm around his shoulders.</p><p>“It will be okay. We’ll get out and then we’ll see the sun” She said reassuringly. “Whisper?”</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>“Come on, let’s get back to the others.” Coraline said.</p><p>He followed her, trying to shake a feeling of dread. Staring at the floor.</p><p>
  <em>It was just a nightmare. Why can’t I shake this feeling?</em>
</p><p>Coraline stopped. “Alright Whisper, I’m not stupid. Now what’s bothering you?”</p><p>He froze.</p><p>“You’ll feel better if you tell me you know” She said.</p><p>“I had a bad dream”</p><p>She hummed.</p><p>“I- I dreamed that we left the room. And- and”</p><p>“And what Whisper?”</p><p>“T-the other mother got us.”</p><p>He heard her walk closer and kneel in front of him.</p><p>“Whisper…” Coraline sighed. “I- I can’t do this anymore”</p><p>“Do- do what?” He asked looking into her eyes.</p><p>“Whisper if- if you had to choose between us and- and leaving-“</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“If- if you had to choose between us being here with you and leaving the room-“</p><p>“No”</p><p>“Whisper”</p><p>“No, you- you said we’d all leave together!” He shouted.</p><p>“Whisper?” Goggle’s said behind him.</p><p>The boy turned, finding the other kids, peering out behind some boxes.</p><p>“Whisper” Coraline said. “You have to choose.”</p><p>“No! I’m not choosing.” He shouted. “You- you said we’d all leave together!”</p><p>“Whisper I’m sorry but-“</p><p>“No. I- I believed in you. I- I trusted you!”</p><p>“We’re dead Whisper” Coraline shouted.</p><p>He froze.</p><p>“We- we can’t leave. That’s why you need to choose.”</p><p>He stood there, staring at the ground. A cold feeling settled in his gut.</p><p>“Wh- what about the bread”</p><p>“It was fake. Whisper I’m sorry but…” Coraline trailed off. “I… I couldn’t let you be alone anymore.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“We’re all dead Whisper… We’ve been dead for a long time.”</p><p>“No Fire!”</p><p>“Is a ghost” Fire said. “Whisper… I’m sorry but… that night, I went after the other kids.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I died that night Whisper. I challenged the other mother and lost.”</p><p>“We- we wanted to give you a new life… but after everything.” Coraline said.</p><p>Whisper didn’t move. “So- so everything that happened. Us becoming a family. It was all…”</p><p>“I’m sorry Whisper.”</p><p>Tears dripped down his cheeks.</p><p>“You lied” Whisper finally said, taking a step back.</p><p>“Whisper”</p><p>“You said we all get out and you lied!”</p><p>“Whisper” Coraline went for his arm.</p><p>Only for it to phase through his skin.</p><p>He bolted.</p><p>He heard them shouting for him.</p><p>He didn’t listen.</p><p>Hiding between two boxes.</p><p>He was left alone with his thoughts.</p><p><em>It was all fake. </em>He thought. <em>We never were a family.</em></p><p>The tears came faster.</p><p>
  <em>It was all fake.</em>
</p><p>———————————————————————————————————–</p><p><em>I’m going to be sick.</em> Goggles thought as he pressed his head against the cool floor boards.</p><p>“Are you done yet?” an impatient voice asked.</p><p>Goggles tilted his head, almost losing the little food he had eaten.</p><p>Dipper was standing over him, tapping his foot.</p><p>“This is taking too long” Dipper said turning around.</p><p>“W-wait” Goggles groaned, pushing himself up. Shakily, he made it to his feet, sweat dripping off his forehead.</p><p>To the younger boy’s dismay, Dipper had already started walking.</p><p><em>I shouldn’t have used my powers. </em>Goggles thought back to when the floor opened. It had caught him by surprise. It had caught all of them by surprise. It was only when they were falling did he do anything.</p><p>He remembered reaching out with his psychic hands, trying to grab everyone.</p><p>Dipper had been the closest. Maybe that was why he had succeeded in grabbing him, allowing the male to grab on to him.</p><p>Goggles remembered reaching out for Whisper when the first wave of nausea hit. That’s when he failed.</p><p>His hands flickered dissolving right before his eyes.</p><p><em>I should have been stronger! I just let them fall. I couldn’t do anything. </em>Goggles thought as he forced himself to follow Dipper.</p><p>Goggles grimaced, remembering how everyone looked as they fell into pitch blackness.</p><p>
  <em>I failed them.</em>
</p><p>He bit back another wave of nausea.</p><p>
  <em>Dipper’s so far away now…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I really am useless. </em>
</p><p>Goggles continued to walk on, using the dim lights from far above to navigate.</p><p>“Mabel!” Dipper screamed.</p><p>
  <em>I guess Dipper found Mabel.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’m glad. He’s the brother she deserves after all. </em>
</p><p>He stumbled slightly.</p><p>
  <em>Meanwhile I’m just… me.</em>
</p><p>Ahead of him he could see Dipper and Mabel.</p><p>Dipper was talking frantically, waving his hands around the girl who just stared at the floor.</p><p>Goggles frowned, pushing himself faster.</p><p>Next thing he knew he was on the ground. Dipper’s chair leg under his leg.</p><p><em>Good job walking Goggles. </em>He chilled himself.</p><p>“Mabel what are you saying?”</p><p>Goggles looked up at the two twins.</p><p>Mabel was facing away from the two of them.</p><p>“I said go back to the room Dipper.”</p><p>“Mabel?” Dipper said uncertainly. “Mabel if this is about Mother then-“</p><p>“It’s not about Mother”</p><p>“Mabel I- I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Don’t you get it Dipper. I hate you.”</p><p>“Wh-“</p><p>“I’ve always hated you” Goggles gritted his teeth as Mabel continued. “You’re selfish and stupid and, and I don’t want you as a brother! I just want to be left alone Dipper.”</p><p>“I want to live my life the way I want to, and that’s without you Dipper!”</p><p>“But you- you said.”</p><p>Goggles pulled himself up, grasping the broken chair leg.</p><p>“I was lying Dipper! Don’t you get it! I was lying so I could use you!”</p><p>“So then use me!” Dipper screamed. “I don’t mind. Use me all you want Mabel, just… just please… don’t leave me alone again.”</p><p>“No”</p><p>Dipper let out a sob.</p><p>“Don’t you get it. I went into sweater town to get away from you Dipper. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do. My whole life I’ve been trying to get away from my stupid-”</p><p>Dipper let out another sob.</p><p>“Selfish!” Sob.</p><p>“Worthless!” Sob.</p><p>“Brother!”</p><p>Goggles watched as Dipper sank to his knees.</p><p>“So just go back to the room so you can finally be useful!”</p><p>Goggles pulled back his arm and in one familiar motion, he threw the wooden weapon.</p><p>To his luck, he managed to hit his target. Impaling it with the splintered side right between the eyes.</p><p>“Mabel?” Dipper asked, looking at his fallen sister. “Mabel!”</p><p>“Dipper” Goggles cried.</p><p>Dipper spun around finally noticing him. With tears dripping down his face the older boy stood up, stalking towards Goggles.</p><p>“Dipper I-“</p><p>Dipper punched him.</p><p>Goggles hit the floor, the wind knocked out of him.</p><p>“You- you-!” Dipper loomed over him, shaking with rage. “She was my sister you freak!” He pulled back his hand for another punch.</p><p>“She wasn’t Mabel!” Goggles yelled.</p><p>Dipper paused.</p><p>“The Mabel I knew would have never said those things!” Goggles continued.</p><p>“You don’t know that!”</p><p>“Yes, I do!”</p><p>“Why because you’re her brother!” Dipper screamed.</p><p>“Because I saw her memories!” Goggles yelled. “I saw her memories Dipper. I saw what happened to you two!”</p><p>Dipper stumbled back.</p><p>“I saw how much she regretted hurting you. I saw how you went against Mother for her! I saw how much she loved you.”</p><p>“I saw how much you two care for each other. How much she hated herself afterwards. How she destroyed herself afterward because of it.”</p><p>“Dipper, Mabel loves you.”</p><p>“But I-“ Dipper started.</p><p>“Are her brother and nothing anyone can do can take that away again… because- because you’re siblings. The rest of us, we can only act like we’re family. But you two. You’re real family. Family who has always been there for each other, even when you felt like you were alone.”</p><p>Dipper sobbed, rubbing at his continuous tears.</p><p>Goggles smiled, watching behind the boy, as the other Mabel unraveled into a pile of thread. Slithering into the darkness.</p><p>———————————————————————————————————–</p><p>“Guys!” Coraline screamed. “Hello!”</p><p>She looked around the green and purple lit room.</p><p>Five glowing orbs floated around the edges of the room. Each a different color. Farthest away from her, lay another orb, resting in darkness.</p><p>She gulped starting forward. Staring at the blue orb. As she walked closer shapes began to appear.</p><p>“Goggles!” Coraline yelled, seeing the boy through the orb.</p><p><em>He’s in pain. </em>She thought, looking at the boy. Then the view shifted to darkness.</p><p>“No Goggles!”</p><p>The view stayed on the darkness.</p><p><em>I have to find him. </em>She thought looking for an escape.</p><p>Across the room the purple orb flickered.</p><p>Inside the orb she could see a ghost girl floating over a spider made of needles.</p><p>Coraline looked to the yellow orb finding a bunch of children looking angry.</p><p>The pink orb showed a door creeping open.</p><p><em>What is this? </em>She thought. <em>Why would the Other Mother have this?</em></p><p>Coraline bumped into the green orb.</p><p>Turning around she saw Dipper walking further and further away.</p><p>That’s when it clicked. <em>She’s been spying on us.</em></p><p>“Coraline” a sickening sweet voice said from above.</p><p>She whipped around.</p><p>“You should have told me you were coming.” The Beldam said, descending from the ceiling. “I could have prepared more.”</p><p>“You’ve- you’ve been spying on us.” Coraline stated, before realizing something. “These are the other kid’s eyes!”</p><p>The Beldam hummed. “If I were you Coraline, I would be a little more afraid of what’s in front of me.”</p><p>Coraline gritted her teeth. She grabbed the object Wybie had given her. “No, I won’t, and neither will my family.”</p><p>“Not after today!” Coraline screamed attacking with the hedge clippers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I don't want this world</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mabel sighed looking around the empty room.</p>
<p>“Mabel” someone called from the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Yeah Mom?” she called back.</p>
<p>“It’s time for lunch.”</p>
<p>“I’m not hungry.” She chuckled to herself. <em>I’m never hungry.</em></p>
<p>“I still want you to eat.”</p>
<p>Mabel said nothing. Looking out the window she watched the mailman riding by on the bike.</p>
<p>He was always riding by.</p>
<p>Always at the same time.</p>
<p>Always wearing his uniform.</p>
<p>Always on his bike.</p>
<p>Mabel gave a small wave. That was the seventh time.</p>
<p>She had been here for a week.</p>
<p>A week in this boring dry life.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” A voice said behind her.</p>
<p>Mabel turned to Dipper. The black buttons of his eyes staring at her.</p>
<p>A week without her family.</p>
<p>“Mabel are- are you ok? Its- its been a week and…” Dipper stuttered. “I- I know that things are a bit… different but-”</p>
<p>Mabel walked past him.</p>
<p>She walked past her mother.</p>
<p>Past her father’s study.</p>
<p>And up the stairs.</p>
<p>Locking the door behind her.</p>
<p>She took a deep breath.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” Dippers voice came through the door. “Are you ok?”</p>
<p>He continued when he heard nothing. “Mabel I- I know you’re sad about the others but… Mabel our life is great here. We have parents who love us. We can feel the sun. We- we can eat all the bread we want.”</p>
<p>“I’m tired” She said.</p>
<p>“O-okay.”</p>
<p>
  <em>This is the perfect life Dipper.</em>
</p>
<p>She opened the window.</p>
<p>She crawled out onto the roof through the window pane.</p>
<p>
  <em>But-</em>
</p>
<p>Carefully, she stepped on the roof tiles, navigating to the back of the house, to the rope she had left.</p>
<p>Mabel lowered herself down.</p>
<p>Her feet touching the springy blades of grass.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t be here.</em>
</p>
<p>She slipped out through the back gate.</p>
<p>And ran into the woods.</p>
<p>
  <em>I can’t be selfish.</em>
</p>
<p>She kept running.</p>
<p>Ignoring the signs of danger.</p>
<p>Ignoring the signs of wolves.</p>
<p>Ignoring the signs of bear traps.</p>
<p>
  <em>I won’t be selfish.</em>
</p>
<p>She kept running.</p>
<p>Away from that perfect life.</p>
<p>Away from Dipper.</p>
<p>Away from everything.</p>
<p><em>Not ever again. </em>She thought.</p>
<p>And the world disappeared.</p>
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<p>Mabel smiled for the first time in a week,</p>
<p>As the other world turned into ashes.</p>
<p>Decaying into the white void.</p>
<p>Mabel slowed.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to be selfish again.” Mabel declared as an old wooden door appeared.</p>
<p>She thought of her brother.</p>
<p>Her real brother.</p>
<p>How he would softly smile at her.</p>
<p>How after the Beldam, they could sit together in the sun.</p>
<p>How after the Beldam, they could just smile together.</p>
<p>How after the Beldam, they could be a family.</p>
<p><em>That would be the dream life. </em>She thought as she opened the door.</p>
<p>She froze.</p>
<p>She was back in the room.</p>
<p>She was back in the room they had escaped from.</p>
<p>“N-no” Mabel voice broke. <em>I don’t want to be here. </em></p>
<p>She turned around, staring at the white void.</p>
<p>Tears running down her face.</p>
<p>She was trapped.</p>
<p>
  <em>What would Goggles do? </em>
</p>
<p>Mabel gulped and stepped forward.</p>
<p>She let go of the door knob, taking a couple of steps.</p>
<p>The door slammed shut.</p>
<p>She didn’t have to turn around to know it was gone.</p>
<p>So, she continued walking into the room.</p>
<p>Navigating the cramped space.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” A voice said behind her.</p>
<p>“Dipper!” Mabel screamed, turning around. “Dipper?”</p>
<p>The boy was frowning at her. His buttons scrunched up in confusion.</p>
<p>“Dipper!” Goggles screamed, jumping over the wall of boxes. The boy froze upon seeing her.</p>
<p>“M-Mabel” Goggles said.</p>
<p>“Guys!” Mabel cried.</p>
<p>The two boys exchanged a look.</p>
<p>“I- I thought-“ Tears rolled down her cheeks. “B-but we’re together again. We- We can-“</p>
<p>“Leave” Dipper said finishing her sentence.</p>
<p>Mabel wetly laughed, nodding.</p>
<p>“Have you seen the others?”</p>
<p>“I- I think I saw Whisper.” Goggles said. “He- He seemed unresponsive though. Come on”</p>
<p>Goggle took the lead while Dipper fell into step with her.</p>
<p>“A-are you okay Mabel?”</p>
<p>She nodded. “It was just a tough week.” She lied. <em>There’s no reason to let him know of the Beldam’s trap.</em></p>
<p>“Y-yeah. M-Me and Goggles spent the w-week walking through the darkness”</p>
<p>“Guys” Goggles called, kneeling next to a cavern between the junk.</p>
<p>Mabel walked closer. Making out the dim form of Whisper.</p>
<p>He had been crying. His buttons red and puffy. As she drew near, he curled up, pushing himself farther into the hole.</p>
<p>“Whisper?”</p>
<p>He whimpered.</p>
<p>“He was like that when I found him.” Goggles said behind her.</p>
<p>“Whisper?” Mabel tried again, reaching out to the boy.</p>
<p>“G-g-go a-away” the boy stuttered. “I-I’m n-not l-le-leaving t-the r-room”</p>
<p>“Whisper?” Mabel said sadly.</p>
<p>“I-I’m n-not le-leaving, o-ok? I-isn’t t-that wh-what you w-wanted?”</p>
<p>“Why… why would I want that?” Mabel said softly. “Whisper, I- I don’t want something that makes you unhappy.” <em>Because that would be selfish.</em></p>
<p>The boy whimpered.</p>
<p>“Whisper, please” She held out her hand.</p>
<p>Whisper shook his head. “Wh-what if I-I don’t w-want to b-be a f-family”</p>
<p>His word’s felt like a punch to her gut. “Whisper?”</p>
<p>“Wh-what i-if I-I don’t want t-to be a f-family a-anymore”</p>
<p>Mabel looked at the boy. Tears starting to run down her face and with a big smile said, “Alright”</p>
<p>Whisper knitted his eyebrows together.</p>
<p>“We don’t have to be a family, Whisper.”</p>
<p>“Y-you a-aren’t going t-to h-hurt me?”</p>
<p>“Wh-what?” <em>Am I really that horrible. </em></p>
<p>Whisper pressed his hands into his buttons. “You- you sh-should be hu-hurting me.”</p>
<p>“Whisper?”</p>
<p>“No- you- you want to be a family. I- I want to be a fa-family. B-but we c-can’t…” Whisper sobbed. “We can’t be a family.” The boy whispered.</p>
<p>“Whisper, I don’t understand.” Mabel crawled closer.</p>
<p>“You’re dead! You aren’t supposed to love me. You- you should just leave me….”</p>
<p>“Do you want me to leave you?”</p>
<p>“No… Yes… I- I just don’t want to hurt.”</p>
<p>“Whisper…”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to be hurt.”</p>
<p>Mabel bit her lip. <em>I only hurt people.</em></p>
<p>She backed out of the tunnel. Dipper and Goggle stared at her and she gave them a watery smile.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” Dipper came closer.</p>
<p>“Mother!” Mabel yelled out.</p>
<p>The room buzzed.</p>
<p>“Mabel what are you doing?”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to hurt people again, Dipper.” Mabel softly said. “MOTHER! Come out I know you’re listening!”</p>
<p>“Mabel!” Dipper screamed. “Mabel, Stop!”</p>
<p>“What are you doing Mabel?!” Goggles asked.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to be selfish again!”</p>
<p>“Mabel?” Whisper said. He had crawled out from the tunnel.</p>
<p>“You- you said that you didn’t want to be hurt right?”</p>
<p>“Mabel?”</p>
<p>“I only hurt people Whisper. I’m- I’m too selfish to do anything else… but I can do one thing. I can make sure you see the sun. MOTHER!”</p>
<p>“Mabel! Stop!” Dipper yelled. He reached out to touch the girl.</p>
<p>“No Dipper! I’m only going to hurt you again! I’m only going to hurt everyone again!”</p>
<p>“Mabel!”</p>
<p>“I’m doing this Dipper” She smiled at him</p>
<p>“Mabel stop this!” The boy reached out to grab her.</p>
<p>“No!” Mabel screamed, pushing the boy back.</p>
<p>——————————————————————————————————–</p>
<p>Fire stormed through the darkness. Lighting any thread that she encountered. She knew what the thread could do. She wasn’t stupid.</p>
<p>She just had to keep moving.</p>
<p>She just had to find the others.</p>
<p>She just had to find Goggles.</p>
<p>Fire growled as a bundle of yarn swung in front of her. She set that on fire too before moving past it.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Why”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire froze. That sounded like a child.</p>
<p>“Goggles! Coraline! Whisper!” The girl cried. “Hello!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Why do you think someone with answer you?”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire turned, scanning the darkness. Threads, burning and black, cast a bit of light as they hung in the air. Soft dying embers hanging from them like glowing beads.</p>
<p>“Goggles!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Is not here”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire twisted around, glaring into the darkness. “Who are you?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Don’t you recognize us?” </em>
</p>
<p>“Us?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yes. Us… Don’t you recognize our voices?”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire pressed two fingers against her forehead. “If you are trying to pick a fight!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Now why would we do that?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“After all,”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire glanced around hoping to find one of the voices.</p>
<p>
  <em>“We’re already dead”</em>
</p>
<p>“Wha-“</p>
<p>A body shimmered to life out of the corner of her eye. But when she looked. No one was there.</p>
<p>“Sh-show yourselves!” Fire screamed.</p>
<p>Another flicker of light. This time from her left.</p>
<p>“I’m warning you!”</p>
<p>Something brushed against her shoulder.</p>
<p>She yelled, letting out a burst of her power.</p>
<p>An inferno covered the area before sputtering down and dying.</p>
<p>Fire fell to the floor, panting. “I warned you”</p>
<p>
  <em>“We are the children”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“All sown away.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We only wanted to play.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“But here we are.“</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Locked away.”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire looked up. The flickering started all around her. Forming shapes of children.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Won’t you come and play?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We can have so much fun.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You only have to say.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That you want to be locked away.”</em>
</p>
<p>“No! I don’t want to play!” Fire screamed, covering her ears. <em>This can’t be happening! They died!</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh, but it will be fun.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“All sown up.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“And ready to play.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“All we need…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Is you to do one tiny thing.”</em>
</p>
<p>Hands wrapped around her throat.</p>
<p>
  <em>“So, are you ready to play?”</em>
</p>
<p>“No!” She jerked out of the grip. “Leave me alone!”</p>
<p>The children froze.</p>
<p>“You… You aren’t real! You’re dead!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“And who’s fault is that?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Didn’t you fail to save us?”</em>
</p>
<p>“I-“</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yes, she did”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She let us walk out”</em>
</p>
<p>“No, I didn’t!”</p>
<p><em>“I remember” </em>a boy spoke up. Curi. <em>“I remember she stood there, watching as we all walked out”</em></p>
<p>“I tried to-” a small hand tugged her shirt.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Miss? Why did you let us die? Did you not luve us?”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire jerked away.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Of course, she doesn’t”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She doesn’t like any of us”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She wanted us dead”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She wanted us gone”</em>
</p>
<p>“No! I-” Fire choked out a sob.</p>
<p>
  <em>“You let us die”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire shook her head, tears running down her face.</p>
<p>A hand grabbed her. The child’s touch burning her clothes. <em>“You let us DIE!”</em></p>
<p>Fire screamed pushing against him with her psychic energy, blasting the child back.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Did you see that?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She attacked him.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She doesn’t want to play”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She doesn’t love us”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“She wanted us to die”</em>
</p>
<p>Fire frantically glanced around, looking for some way to leave.</p>
<p>But all around her, was the faces of the kids she had let die.</p>
<p>
  <em> Wild. Gnome. Hood</em>
</p>
<p>The kids who she had played with.</p>
<p>
  <em>Mouse. Cruz. Eggs</em>
</p>
<p>The kids who raised her.</p>
<p>
  <em>Scythe. Trick. Mute</em>
</p>
<p>The kids she had let walk out of the room.</p>
<p>A boy walked up to her. Her mind filled in the gaps giving him jet black hair and ice colored buttons. He… he taught her how to read.</p>
<p>“Rocket” she whispered. “Please I-”</p>
<p>He gave her a small smile, holding out his hand. <em>“It’s alright Fire. We can play now. Just take my hand”</em></p>
<p>She sobbed.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Shh, it’s ok.”</em>
</p>
<p>“I’m sorry”</p>
<p>
  <em>“It’s ok. Just take my hand and we can play” </em>
</p>
<p>She shakily reached out to Rocket.</p>
<p>“Leave Her Alone!”</p>
<p>A gloved hand pulled her away. Two Eyed growling and brandishing a switch blade. “Don’t you dare come any closer!”</p>
<p>Fire looked up at him. He had switched faces at one point. Putting on something with three eyes.</p>
<p>“Wha-“</p>
<p>“Don’t let her trick you. These are metal threads. I use them all the time. Your fire is likely why they are glowing. And why they aren’t burning like the regular stuff.”</p>
<p>“Metal thr- No they’re ghosts!”</p>
<p>Two eyed twisted around, slashing at one of her friends.</p>
<p>“L-listen I kn-know you don’t like me, but this is a tr-trick.”</p>
<p>Fire shook her head.</p>
<p>“It is. We n-need to f-find the others”</p>
<p>“How do I know that you aren’t lying” Fire growled, tearing herself away.</p>
<p>He stared at her before holding out his hand. “Wh-what seems more likely. M-Me tr-tricking you? Or th-the B-Beldam trying to kill you w-with d-dead k-kids th-that you used to know”</p>
<p>Fire froze, looking into the chilling ‘green’ of his mask.</p>
<p>Cautiously, she slipped her hand into his. “I… I d-don’t want to die”</p>
<p>Two eyed nodded, pulling her forward.</p>
<p>She heard the ghosts howled as they ran through them.</p>
<p>
  <em>“You let us die!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Why do you hate us!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Come back!”</em>
</p>
<p>Two eyed led the way, twisting and turning as they moved farther and father away from the ghosts of her old family.</p>
<p>Away from the memory of that night.</p>
<p>Away from her guilt.</p>
<p>It was a relief for both of them when they made it to a door. White light shining underneath it. A sign that they had beat the Beldam’s nightmare.</p>
<p>Fire took a deep breath, collecting herself. “Hey… Wybie”</p>
<p>Two eyed turned around. His hand on the doorknob.</p>
<p>“If you tell anyone I cried I will wrap you up in metal threads and set you on fire”</p>
<p>She couldn’t tell if he paled or not underneath his mask, but she liked to think that he did.</p>
<p>“Now come on. The others are likely doing something stupid.”</p>
<p>Without waiting on his response, she yanked the door open.</p>
<p>——————————————————————————————————–</p>
<p>Mabel’s hands went through her brother’s chest.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” Goggles said behind her.</p>
<p>Dipper made a keep quiet gesture. “Everything is ok Goggles.” He stepped around her, leaving strings on her hands.</p>
<p>Mabel stared at them. Not listening to the boys behind her.</p>
<p><em>Wait does this mean? </em>Mabel walked over to Whisper.</p>
<p>With the boy’s attention on the other two, Mabel reached out, booping the boy.</p>
<p>Whisper jumped, his black buttons focusing on her.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” Goggles asked.</p>
<p>Mabel looked up.</p>
<p>“Goggles…” Thoughts started to fit together.</p>
<p>“Mabel, I think we should wait for the others.” Goggles said. Behind him Dipper stood awkwardly.</p>
<p>Goggles continued. “If you found the room then the others will find it too so-“</p>
<p>“I’m not staying.” Mabel whispered.</p>
<p>Whisper looked up at her.</p>
<p>“Mabel be reasonable. Coraline and Fire will-“ Goggles argued.</p>
<p>“I’m not staying!”</p>
<p>“Mabel you’re being selfish!” Goggles yelled.</p>
<p>She shut up.</p>
<p>“Mabel?” Whisper asked.</p>
<p>“And what are you” Mabel said, growing louder with each word. “What are you Goggles”</p>
<p>“I’m your brother.”</p>
<p>“Prove it! Prove that you’re not just some trick like the last world!”</p>
<p>Goggles walked forward, grabbing her hand. “See Mabel I’m not a trick”</p>
<p>“Goggl-“</p>
<p>A hand slapped her stomach.</p>
<p>She looked down at Whisper’s arm.</p>
<p>“You’re lying. You- you’ve been lying.” Whisper proclaimed.</p>
<p>Mabel looked at Goggles, finding the fake boy’s stomach impaled by Whisper’s hand.</p>
<p>Whisper pulled, taking a knot of thread out.</p>
<p>“You little!” Other Goggles yelled. The boy threw up his hand, ready to punch Whisper.</p>
<p>Other Dipper tackled Goggles. “Mabel run!”</p>
<p>Whisper grabbed her hand, pulling her forward.</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare!”</p>
<p>She didn’t resist.</p>
<p>“Don’t let them get away!” She heard Other Goggles yell.</p>
<p>They ran through the mountains of junk, clutching each other’s hands like a lifeline.</p>
<p>Other Fire stepped in front of their path and Whisper slowed.</p>
<p>Mabel without hesitating, jerked the boy’s arm. Pulling him up the wall of boxes.</p>
<p>Other Fire screamed, extending her cloth arm, wrapping around Mabel’s leg. Yanking her down.</p>
<p>“Mabel!” Whisper yelled as Other Mabel appeared at the end of the hallway, blocking them in.</p>
<p>Mabel kicked at the arm holding her. “Whisper run!”</p>
<p>“Not without you!”</p>
<p>“I’ll be-“ Mabel started.</p>
<p>“Leave my sister alone!” Other Dipper screamed from below them, right as Other Fire lost her grip. Mabel took the opportunity. Scrambling up the boxes as fast as she could.</p>
<p>“Come on!” Whisper yelled, moving forward.</p>
<p>The room trembled, and they lost their footing.</p>
<p>“Whisper!” She called, glancing around desperately.</p>
<p>“Over here!”</p>
<p>Whisper clutched the edge of the boxes, dangling above the floorboards.</p>
<p>Mabel ran over helping him up.</p>
<p>Below them, the floor started unraveling.</p>
<p>Throwing herself back, she pulled the boy up.</p>
<p>“Go! Go!” she yelled pushing him.</p>
<p>The floor was completely gone now, leaving a white void of space. The only thing keeping them from their doom was the narrow wall of boxes under their feet.</p>
<p>“Get them!” Coraline’s distorted voice came behind them.</p>
<p>“There’s the mirror!” Whisper yelled.</p>
<p>The mirror stood on the last few floorboards. Floating farther and farther away.</p>
<p>“We- We aren’t going to make it!”</p>
<p>“Oh yes we will!” Mabel yelled. Putting on a burst of speed, she grabbed his hand.  </p>
<p>The end of the boxes coming closer and closer with each step.</p>
<p>“You’re Mine!” Other Coraline screamed.</p>
<p>Mabel leapt off the wall, feeling the puppet grab the tips of her hair.</p>
<p>“No!” Her brother’s voice screamed.</p>
<p>And the puppet’s hand was gone.</p>
<p>The two kids hit the floor boards.</p>
<p>“Mabel come on!” Whisper helped her up, running for the mirror.</p>
<p>Mabel followed, glancing back.</p>
<p>Other Dipper stood on the wall of boxes, giving her a thumbs up, as the room fell apart around him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. I'm not you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Goggles stared. His buttons following every groove in the old boards.  </p><p>“We should get moving” Dipper said rising to his feet. “We, we need to find the others.”</p><p>Goggles nodded, ignoring the little bit of bile in his throat.</p><p>Dipper sluggishly moved forward.</p><p>Goggles bit his lip. <em>Maybe we should-</em></p><p>
  <em>No. he doesn’t want to hear that from you</em>
  <em>. You’re too weak.</em>
</p><p>The younger boy pushed himself up.</p><p>‘Why is he still following me?’ <em>Is probably what he is thinking. </em></p><p>He pushed himself faster.</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>
  <em>I can do this. I just need to move faster. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Just need to push myself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can do-</em>
</p><p>Goggles fell against the floor. His head pounding as the world rung around him. Swaying slightly.</p><p>“Goggles?” Dipper paused, before walking over.</p><p>“I just need a minute.”</p><p>Dipper bit his lip. “I’m sorry” The boy reached out a hand to him.</p><p>Goggles stared at it, before grabbing it.</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>“Do you think you can walk?”</p><p>Goggles nodded. “L-let’s get out of here”</p><p>Goggles pushed himself up using Dipper’s hand, pretending not to notice the boy’s frown.</p><p>
  <em>A disappointment.</em>
</p><p>“Right… right I think we were going this way?” Dipper stated walking into the darkness.</p><p>Goggles pushed himself forward, his head throbbing with each step. He could do this. They would eventually get out of the darkness anyways. He just had to hold on until then. He could do that. <b>He could do that.</b></p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>
  <em>Everything will be fine.</em>
</p><p>Dipper glanced back at him.</p><p>
  <em>We can do this.</em>
</p><p>The older boy paled.</p><p>
  <em>Everything will work out.</em>
</p><p>Dipper opened his mouth, lunging toward Goggles.</p><p>-Tap-</p><p>-Ta-</p><p>—————————————————————-</p><p>Coraline hit the ground, rolling over the hard floor.  </p><p>The girl screamed, turning over. The Beldam’s leg impaling into the floor a centimeter away from her nose.</p><p>“Let us go you old hag!” Coraline yelled, grabbing the hedge clippers. She thrust upward, trying to drive the sharp metal into the Beldam’s chest.</p><p>A needle hand grabbed hers. The sharp points poking into the skin.</p><p>“My Dear. I only want what’s best for you”</p><p>“No, you don’t! You only want us to be your-“</p><p>The Beldam reached up, tracing Coraline’s buttoned eyed. “Do you really thing the other world is any better?”</p><p>Coraline growled kicking herself away. “Of course, it is!”</p><p>“Really? Tell me my dear what is your plan? To go to your parents. They didn’t even want you in the first place. Why would they want more kids?”</p><p>She got up again, looking around for another weapon.</p><p>“And what will you do about the buttons? Removing them might work… but how will Whisper ever see the sun?”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter” Coraline growled.</p><p>“You’re not thinking.” The Beldam turned to her, smiling. “Even if you don’t remove them. Someone will.”</p><p>Coraline clenched her fists.</p><p>“And all those wonderful sights? All those colors. Will be gone”</p><p>“It’s better than being eaten!” She ran forward, swinging her fists.</p><p>The Beldam hummed, grabbing her. Dragging the girl closer.</p><p>“No!” Coraline dug her heels into the ground.</p><p>“So much like a child. Always throwing a tantrum when you don’t get what you want”</p><p>“Let me go!”</p><p>“But don’t worry.” The Beldam’s legs curled around Coraline. “Mother will make it all better”</p><p>Coraline struggled as the witch pulled out a needle and thread.</p><p>—————————————————————-</p><p>Dipper groan, pulling himself to his feet. Looking around at the endless void.</p><p>“Goggles!” He cried. “Goggles!”</p><p>He bit his lip. <em>Where. Where is he?</em></p><p>
  <em>Did… Did Goggles leave?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know I haven’t been… </em>
</p><p>“Goggles! Goggles where are you!”</p><p>
  <em>I know I’m not the best of friends but…</em>
</p><p>He shouldn’t blame Goggles. He would have run off too.</p><p><em>But…</em> “Goggles Please!”</p><p><em>“Why would he come back?” </em>A voice echoed.</p><p>“Wh-“</p><p>
  <em>“You weren’t very nice after all”</em>
</p><p>“Goggles?”</p><p>
  <em>“Why if I were them, I wouldn’t even be looking for you”</em>
</p><p>“Please this isn’t funny”</p><p>
  <em>“When is being like this ever funny”</em>
</p><p>Dipper hugged himself, taking a step forward. <em>This is a trick. This is just another trick.</em></p><p>
  <em>“After all, as the future Beldam”</em>
</p><p>A hand of needles grabbed Dipper’s arm, yanking him around.</p><p>
  <em>“We have to be mean” </em>
</p><p>Dipper gulped, staring at his own face. “Y-you aren’t real”</p><p>The Dipper Beldam laughed, tossing the boy aside. <em>“Not real?” </em></p><p>
  <em>“Please I’m your future Dipper. You’re just too weak to admit it”</em>
</p><p>“What?”</p><p>
  <em>“Why do you think Mother left us in the room?”</em>
</p><p>“I… I don’t know!”</p><p>
  <em>“Well I do. She was testing us. Seeing who should take her place. Don’t you see Dipper. The world is full of cruelties. It’s our job to help”</em>
</p><p>“By eating children!”</p><p>
  <em>“They want to be here. You were the same a long time ago. Don’t you remember”</em>
</p><p>“I.”</p><p>
  <em>“And look what you did to Goggles?”</em>
</p><p>“I d-didn’t mean-“</p><p>
  <em>“Yes, you did. You wanted him gone. You wanted him out of your life. He was going to replace you after all”</em>
</p><p>”What?”</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t be stupid. We both saw it. How he treated Mabel. He was trying to replace us”</em>
</p><p>“Goggles-”</p><p>
  <em>“Wouldn’t do that? Please. We saw the same thing. Mabel even called him brother”</em>
</p><p>Dipper looked at the ground.</p><p>
  <em>“And what are you? Hm? The boy who she refused to open up to? The boy who put her in that state?”</em>
</p><p>“I-“ Dipper gritted his teeth.</p><p>
  <em>“Face it. He’s gone and deep down you are happy about it. Now you can have Mabel all to yourself” </em>
</p><p>Dipper swung. Hitting the fake version of him. “I don’t know what you are, but I am so done with being the Beldam’s puppet!”</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t you-“</em>
</p><p>“No! You aren’t real! None of this is! You are just trying to distract me!”</p><p>
  <em>“Do you really want to find him though?” </em>
</p><p>“… Yes. I do. And you can tell <em>Mother</em> that we are going to see the sun <em>together</em>”</p><p>The fake Dipper growled. His skin changing. Becoming sharper. More like Mother’s.</p><p>Dipper paled backing up.</p><p><em>“You want to see the sun?”</em> The fake Dipper changed into a mutant version of him and the Beldam. <em>“Well you’re going to have to get through me”</em></p><p>Dipper bolted.</p><p><em>“Get back here!” </em>Beldam Dipper screamed. His feet scraping against the floorboards.</p><p>Dipper put on a burst of speed.</p><p>
  <em>“You think you can run from me, you little freak!” </em>
</p><p>Dipper glanced around, looking for something, anything to help him.</p><p>A lone door stood out in the darkness.</p><p>He didn’t hesitate. Changing directions.</p><p>The screech of claws on wood came from behind him as Beldam Dipper turned.</p><p>
  <em>“You cannot escape your destiny!” </em>
</p><p>He grabbed the knob and twisted it. Throwing his weight into the wood. The door crashing into the plaster with a loud bang as he hit the ground.</p><p>A hand wrapping around his ankle.</p><p>
  <em>“You cannot run from Mother”</em>
</p><p>“No!” Dipper sobbed, feeling the splinters catch on his clothes. Another hand grabbed his leg.</p><p>
  <em>“So, you might as well enjoy it Dipper”</em>
</p><p>He grabbed on to the door frame. Curling around it with one last ditched effort.</p><p>
  <em>“And give into what you really want”</em>
</p><p>“No!”</p><p>He yanked his leg back, hearing his pants leg ripping away.</p><p>
  <em>“Stop resisting!”</em>
</p><p>Dipper pulled his leg up to his chest.</p><p>
  <em>“They’re never going to like you”</em>
</p><p>His toes catching the wood.</p><p>
  <em>“You’re only going to hurt them!”</em>
</p><p>And he pushed.</p><p>The other him’s claws scratching down his ankle as Dipper drug him forward past the doorway.</p><p><em>“You can’t escape destiny!” </em>Beldam Dipper cried landing on his belly.</p><p>Dipper grabbed the edge of the door kicking it closed with all his might.</p><p>
  <em>“You’ll always be-“</em>
</p><p>Metal creaked, bending.</p><p>Dipper kicked the door again. Pushing against it with both legs.</p><p>“I’m nothing like you!”</p><p>Fabric tore against jagged edges.</p><p>“And I’ll never be!”</p><p>A button fell to the ground. Cracked in two.</p><p>“I’ll find Goggles! And we’ll get out of this hell!”</p><p>The door slammed shut.</p><p>Dipper panted. Tears running down his cheeks.</p><p>“I’m not… and I will never be like you” He said to the puppets decapitated head.</p>
  </div></div>
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